Constitutional Rights
by ReadWriteFangirl
Summary: The Law, sex, scandal, and love. What more could you ask for in Chicago? [Legal AU]
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: This is a tester, I can't garauntee this will be continued. However, review with your thoughts whilst I work on my other fanfics, Let's Waste The Night & One Too Many.**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights**_

 _01: Posen, Mitchell and Swanson_

* * *

"Good morning. An hour ago, I resigned as State's Attorney of Cook County. I did this with a heavy heart and a deep commitment to fight these scurrilous charges. At the same time, I need time to atone for my private failings with my wife, Chloe." The press' cameras were flashing non-stop, always trying to find the small crack that began to show the end of the State Attorney's reign. Her eyes closed momentarily as she processed the situation—a scandal. She'd always been the good girl, a good student, and now a good _wife_. "I want to be clear. I have never abused my office. I have never traded lighter sentences for either financial or sexual favours. But I _**do**_ admit to a failure of judgment in my private dealings with these women. The money used in these transactions was mine, and mine alone. No public funds were ever utilised."

Chloe's eyes moved from her husband's face to the side of the podium, where his hand gripped the wood, the cufflink on his shirt shining as the flashes hit it. Her sky blue eyes trailed up his arm, coming to rest three quarters of the way up—a piece of lint. The smallest piece was suddenly immensely interesting, taking her eyes away from the hell of the press conference in front of her.

"Chloe and I ask that the press please respect our privacy. Give us time to heal. With the love of God and the forgiveness of…" Chloe began to faze out, her fingers moving towards the lint on Tom's arm. She was inches away when his hand reached out, gripping that of his wife's before she could grasp hold of the lint. Chloe's mind awoke, making her conscious of the fact that Tom was pulling her out of the room and into a corridor, only metres away from the awaiting press. "Are you alright Chlo?"

Her hand came in contact with his cheek, the combination of momentum and her wedding and engagement rings cased a bright red mark to appear on the ex-State Attorney's face. "Fuck you, son of a bitch." She straightened her blouse and stormed off in the opposite direction—away from her husband, away from the press, and away from her life as a ' _petty politician's wife_ '.

* * *

 _ **Six Months Later…**_

Chloe's pen glided gracefully over the paper, writing the word ' _goals_ ' at the top of her legal pad. She looked up at the clock situated at the front of the long conference room; 9:45, didn't the staff meeting start 15 minutes ago?

"Excuse me?" Chloe looked at a secretary who was passing the room, the woman who her question was aimed at, "Wasn't the staff meeting meant to begin fifteen minutes ago?" The secretary looked Chloe up and down, noting the new red hair, pant suit and shoes. A new woman.

"You're on the wrong floor. Upstairs."

Chloe's eyes widened, she was late on her first day of work. "Thank you, thank you very much." She quickly moved her papers into her folder before running from the room as quickly as her heels would allow. She swiftly moved up the stairs, approaching the firm's main reception. "Which way is the conference room?"

The receptionists pointed in the direction of the main conference room and began talking as soon as Chloe was out of earshot, "it's her, isn't it, but new hair."

Chloe slid into the back of the main conference room of Posen, Mitchell and Swanson, closing her eyes slightly when she realised that she hadn't missed too much of the conversation. She watched as the three partners led the meeting, briefing everyone on the week ahead.

"Anyway, Schering-Plough fired their last firm for this very reason. So, until further notice, your personal lives have been canceled." A chuckle rippled through the room after Jesse Swanson's late joke, which received two playful eye rolls from his fellow partners. Chloe bit her lip, one of Chicago's 'Top 50 Bachelors', managing a combination of law and sex.

The blonde stepped up next, "what Jesse means to say is: This is a complicated, multi jurisdictional class action. So we'll need some of you to help out with the lower-profile client-work to free up our top litigators."

"And by 'lower profile', Aubrey means 'crucially important'—" Beca shook her head at the laughs that moved through the room. "—Ed, witness prep on Highway redistribution. , you've got Brighton criminal. Chloe, you'll take the pro bono."

Aubrey rolled her eyes, "Everyone else, your task is to show Schering-Plough our A-game. Okay? Let's do this." The associates began rushing out of the room, moving to complete their tasks as the three partners moved out of the door at the other end of the conference room. Chloe followed the stream of people out before walking towards the offices of the three partners.

"Hey, Bree?" She caught up with the blonde she'd attended college with, managing to keep up with the blonde's strides.

Aubrey turned to face the redhead, "Chloe. Sorry I didn't introduce you in there, but everything's moving fast with this class action."

"I just wanted to say thanks for this opportunity, with Tom where he is there's no way for me to continue paying the bills."

"No, thank you for coming on board. Hope you're alright with this pro bono. How did it sound?" The blonde took a folder from a passing associate and handed it to the redhead.

"Interesting…" The redhead had missed the section of the meeting on the pro bono, leaving her with a decent amount of confusion about the affair.

"Great, I have a meeting, Mitchell can brief you. We'll have a dinner sometime to catch up, but you're in somewhat okay hands." Before Chloe could process what was happening, she found herself alone in the corridor, quickly glancing around before she saw a plaque: **Beca Mitchell, Partner.** At first glance, Beca certainly didn't have the same style as Aubrey and Jesse, the two partners holding an air of sophistication used to address the matters of the higher profile clientele. Beca on the other hand tended to spend her time on clients and cases that were less high profile and used less money, a useful way to keep Posen, Mitchell and Swanson all square and holding the reputation for people both rich and poor.

Chloe gently knocked on the door, "Miss Mitchell?" The petite brunette looked up, pulling her headphones from her ears.

Beca didn't spend any time on pleasantries, choosing instead to automatically begin grilling Chloe. She hadn't seen how the redhead functioned without her husband. "Aubrey and Jesse speak highly of you, you graduated third in your class at Harvard, only behind them. When was this?" Beca put her pen down.

"The same year as the rest of you, eleven years ago, 2004. But I haven't practiced in eight, I stopped working for my firm in order to stay at home for my husband." Chloe perched on the edge of an armchair.

"Right, and you spent two years at?…"

Chloe swallowed, "Crozier, Abrams and Abbott."

Beca nodded her appreciation, "Good firm. Let's get to this. Here's the mugshot of our client." Chloe moved over to take the picture, frowning when the cold-blooded killer ended up being a woman in her 20s. "Jennifer Combs, twenty nine years old. She was a second grade teacher. Accused of killing her ex-husband in a faked carjacking. The prosecution thought it was a slam-dunk thirty to life, but the jury came back last week—deadlocked. State Attorney wants to prove himself, hence why he is retrying. Stick to Aubrey's strategy, it worked. Got it? Bail hearing is today, our investigator, Stacie, will catch you up. You have until 3, talk to Aubrey or Jesse if you need anything."

Chloe quickly made her way from the office, her eyes catching the YouTube video playing on Beca's Assistant's computer of the infamous Hamilton sex scandal—the sole reason she had taken her pre-marital name. "Sorry, I prefer your hair this way."

"Thanks…"

Chloe turned around, to ask her ex-best friend a question about the strategy when she stopped, seeing the curtains pulled behind the glass as a reason not to enter. Maybe she'd have to ask someone else about the case. She shook her head and walked down to the section of the firm's square footage that held her small office— _the pros of being a junior associate._

"Ah, there you are. Y'know, your husband fired me for working two jobs." The leggy brunette was sitting at Chloe's desk, her legs resting on the wood.

Chloe raised an eyebrow, "well were you?"

"Yes, but that isn't the point."

"I'll give you his address if you want to complain—" Chloe was stopped by the woman.

"I'm Stacie, let's get you ready for this bail hearing." The brunette smiled, "Welcome to Posen, Swanson and Mitchell, by the way. That's , the other junior associate." Chloe followed Stacie's finger to the opposite office, where a lanky man was sitting at his desk, chatting up an assistant. "In six months, Aubrey and Jesse will decide, Beca couldn't care less about junior associates so you just need to win one high profile case."

"Right… I didn't know I was competing…" Chloe's eyes darted around the small office.

Stacie rolled her eyes, "everyone is around here. Jesse and I, you and , Fat Amy and Cynthia Rose—"

Chloe raised an eyebrow, _'Fat Amy'_ what the heck? "It's kind of rude to call someone fat isn't it?"

"Oh, no!" Stacie shook her head, giggling. "She calls herself that, she's family law, Cynthia Rose is bankruptcy — they're fighting for the final corner office."

"How…" Chloe searched for the right word, " _interesting_."

"But what would you care, right? You're just a politician's wife." Stacie watched Chloe's expression carefully.

She'd hit a nerve. "Excuse me?"

"Nothing." Stacie shrugged, "you have this bail hearing at three, let's get you prepped." She placed her own file on the desk, "It started a year ago. A carjacking. That's what the cops thought at first. Part of that series of carjackings in Wilmette last year. Thieves would target upscale cars…"

Stacie placed pictures of upperclass cars onto the desk. "...fix a clip to the fuel line, follow the driver a half mile until he ran out of gas, murder the occupants, then take his car." Stacie handed the pictures of shot victims to Chloe, trying to gauge whether or not the junior associate was up to the menacing job of a murder pro bono on her first day. "At first it looked like this newest carjacking was just another in the series. The only problem: the car wasn't upscale. An old 2001 Honda. Also, there was no clip attached to the fuel line. And, last, the passenger was only shot in the arm. Jennifer Combs. She said her ex-husband struggled with the carjacker — that's why she was only shot in the arm, and her ex-husband was killed."

"They said she was jealous and shot him?"

"The cops did; she shot him before shooting herself in the arm. He got re-married." Stacie pointed to one section of the photograph. "Weapon never recovered."

"Great. Let's do this."

* * *

"Aubrey's defence was simple." Stacie led Chloe through the halls towards Courtroom 402. "Cops didn't look for a carjacker, went straight for Jennifer and accused her of jealousy, the sexism of the police department worked. They deadlocked." She stopped just as she entered, looking at Chloe. "Chloe?"

"I haven't been in a courtroom for eight years."

"I was working two jobs whilst your husband paid for prostitutes." Stacie deadpanned.

Chloe looked at the investigator. "Thanks, Stacie." The feeling of walking down the aisle towards the defence table was a weird feeling. It had been so long. The two ASAs at the prosecution looked over, their sight set on the ex-State's Attorney's wife who had only met one of them during Tom's short time in office. She quietly placed her documents on the table.

"Chloe, what are you doing here? I didn't expect you to be with those Posen, Swanson, whatever assholes."

"Hello, Bumper." Chloe greeted briefly. "Long time no see."

"Who persuaded you to do pro bono work, aren't you too good for that? I know I am. That's Benji, new since Gregory took over at State's. His first time in court for us." Bumper's cocky grin remained plastered on his plump face. "Tom gave me my first job, and helped me to pick up a girl." His eyes moved to Stacie, "Conrad."

"Still gay."

Bumper shrugged before moving back to the table. Benji, noticing the man's smirk, whispered: "like shooting fish in the barrel?"

Bumper shook his head, "turtles."

Stacie nudged Chloe's shoulder, turning the Junior Associate's attention the woman being led in by two guards. The second grade teacher's eyes were wide. "Where's Aubrey?"

"She… She asked me if I could step in for a while."

"How long?" Jennifer was looking startled.

Chloe fiddled with her pen, "for the retrial."

Stacie sat right behind Chloe on the courtroom's benches, watching the exchange. "Oh god." Chloe placed her hand on Jennifer's shoulder.

"I _do_ know what I'm doing—"

The bailiff began speaking, "All rise. The Criminal Court of Cook County is now in session. The honourable Judge Colin Bogira presiding."

The judge sat down, his eyes moving between the defence and prosecution. "Sit down. Let's hear it."

Bumper looked over at Chloe, his eyes menacing. She raised an eyebrow before — oh, it was her go. "I — your honour…" She flicked through the documents Aubrey had given her, the blonde's handwriting extremely hard to make out under pressure — _shit._ She noticed Bumper moving, his smirk growing larger by every second that passed by. She forgot how quickly Chicago Courtrooms could become cage fights.

Bumper stood up, "Your honour, just to refresh your memory. The accused, Ms. Combs, was deemed a flight risk due to an earlier custody hearing."

Chloe found the corresponding piece of paper, "you're honour, I'd like to—"

Bumper silenced her. "Where she **threatened** to _run away with her child_."

The judge rolled his eyes, finding Bumper and his tactics irritable and confrontational. "Yes, and yet just last week, a jury deadlocked on these charges six to six, Mr. Allen. I know our new S.A wants

to look tough, but _**why**_ are you fighting this?"

"The People are prepared to retry this case right now, your honour. If Mrs. Hamilton, or Ms. Beale, is so intent on getting her client out, why doesn't she agree to a speedy trial?"

The judge's attention flicked back over to Chloe. "Mrs. Hamilton?"

"Ms. Beale, your honour."

"The wife of our "esteemed" ex-D.A. Your husband and I never quite saw eye to eye, ma'am. In fact, I think he got exactly what he deserved." _Great._

Chloe attempted to cut in, "Your honour, as you can see, I—"

"Don't talk Mrs. Hamilton." The judge looked at Bumper whilst Chloe remained silent. "—But if the prosecution thinks this will in some way prejudice me against your client, he is sorely mistaken. Nice try, Allen." Bumper looks at his file, it was worth a shot. "Ms. Combs is granted pre-trial release with electronic monitoring. She's restricted to her home, attorney's offices, and transit in between. Given that this is a rerun, I'll set a trial date for next week. Are we all happy? _**Good**_."

Chloe continued to stand there, shocked until Jennifer giving her the best hug she could manage knocked her out of her trance. "Thank you, Ms. Beale."

"I — You're welcome."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author's Note: I honestly didn't expect this to get out so early. Thank you for all your kind words, here's some clarification:**_

 _Chloe and Tom are still married, but Chloe is more comfortable using her pre-marital name whilst he is behind bars. When people refer to her as "ex-S.A. wife" it's the wife of the ex-State's Attorney; I hope this makes sense. Chloe's hair also used to be blonde, so I'll explain that in a future chapter._

 ** _These first two chapters very much follow the canon of The Good Wife Season 1, Episode 1: Pilot. But from here on out I'll begin to pull cases from everywhere and the rest will be of my own devising._**

 ** _Thanks!_**

 ** _Also: Mr. Mitchell the Walmart Guard is not related to Beca._**

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights**_

 _02: A Dead Cause_

* * *

"My job, my life, my daughter. Everything gone. What am I going to do?" Jennifer's sobs filled the conference room Chloe and Stacie had found in order to have a discussion.

Chloe smiled sympathetically at the woman, she'd been in a similar position six months prior. "You're going to take it one day at a time, Jennifer. You're at home. Go there, take a shower, take a nap, don't turn on the TV. Do you like reading?" Jennifer nodded, her head hung low as she looked at the picture of her daughter. "I'll get you some books. Fiction is best. You won't feel like putting on nice clothes or make-up, but force yourself to. Not for court, for you. The superficial things matter more than anything right now."

Stacie looked at Chloe. The quiet redhead of the previous day had become authoritative, confident — the skin of her old self falling away. "Meanwhile, I'll petition the court for visitation rights. Okay?" Chloe's suggestion was met with more sobs from Jennifer.

"If they could even send some pictures. The worst thing in prison was not having photos of her." Chloe nodded, jotting the idea down in her notebook. "Do you think we have a chance?" Jennifer's sad eyes were hopeful.

"I think the jury deadlocked six to six. I think Aubrey's strategy — arguing that the police were so quick to focus on you, they never pursued the real carjackers — is a good one. And I think we have the advantage of interviewing the first jurors to see how to improve our case. So, yes, I think we have a very good chance." Jennifer looked up, a small smile beginning to play at her lips.

"Does this ever get better?"

"No, take it from someone who knows." Jennifer's small chuckle broke the silence. Chloe was brutally honest, she liked that. Chloe stood from her chair, "take care of yourself, Jen." She walked out of the room, Stacie quick to follow her. "We need to interview these jurors, work out why they thought she was guilty."

Stacie went to answer, but was cut off by a squeal from down the corridor. "Oh. My. God. Chloe?" Chloe turned around, her eyes falling to one of the women she lived in the same neighbourhood as when Tom was still the State's Attorney. "I _love_ the hair."

"Alice, hi."

Alice looked Chloe up and down, "Phil and I are doing some estate planning, what about you?"

Chloe shrugged, "I work here."

Alice clasped her hands together, "You're kidding! That's great. I keep saying to Phil: 'We've got to call'. Let's do dinner."

Chloe smiled tightly, she really disliked the bitching of the wives at Highland Park, "That would be great."

"So let's do it. Okay? It's been too long." At Chloe's nod, Alice continued making her way down the corridor.

Stacie scoffed. "Let me guess. "Too long" means right after your husband's press conference?" Chloe nodded, to which Stacie returned with a chuckle. "My job would be a hell of a lot harder if people weren't so predictable."

* * *

Chloe ran a hand through her hair as she sat in her car in the building's car park. She'd gained nothing from her wild goose chase to the jurors, only the fact that a — potentially crazy — female juror had worn the rest of them down to the point where they agreed to deadlock purely so they could leave the room. This case was going swimmingly.

She was just pondering whether to return her mother-in-law's phone call when laughing pulled her from her trance. The sight of the three partners exchanging jokes made her slide down in her seat. She was just about to press the dial button when Beca noticed her.

" _Chloe?_ " Busted. "You guys go on ahead, I'll meet you there." Beca slid into the passenger seat. "Hey. So I heard the bail hearing went well. Congratulations."

"Thanks."

Beca watched as Chloe fiddles with her phone. "You headed home?"

"I am." She paused, a question playing on her mind. "Beca, can I ask you something?" Beca motioned for her to carry on. "You know the new associate, ?"

Beca racked through her thoughts for a moment, "The one in the Brioni?" Chloe raised an eyebrow. "What? I'm observant."

Chloe shook her head, she could see why Beca preferred to stick with lower-profile cases. "Yes, the one in the Brioni. He said "Let the best associate win." What's he mean by that? Stacie said we were in competition, too."

Beca sighed, "What he means is something I thought we weren't making public."

"What?"

Beca shrugged, "We only have one associate position open. We agreed to hire two applicants, and in six months decide which one to retain."

"So it's a contest? Me or ?"

"It was that or a cage match." She smiled, "I'm just glad your pro bono's going well."

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow." Chloe watched as Beca got back out of her car and walked off in the direction Jesse and Aubrey had been moving in minutes prior. She hummed quietly to herself, finally reversing out of the parking space and driving towards the car park's exit.

She ought to visit Tom.

* * *

"I know it's been hard, Chloe. You have to believe me, I'm innocent." Chloe stared her husband down. He has **got** to be fucking with her. "—of the abuse of office charges."

Chloe shook her head, leant over the table and stared him down. "You think I give a good goddamn about that, Tom? There's a tape of you sucking the toes of a 20-year-old hooker playing at Posen, Mitchell and Swanson, and you think I care about the small print in your employment contract!"

"I was set up, Chloe!" Tom insisted. "The State's Office set me up!"

Chloe's resolve broke, the Junior Associate banging her fist on the table. "Oh, stop it, Tom! No. Look, I'm not here to fight." She began to stand up, picking her files from the table.

"Mom said you're on your first case. Congratulations. The Combs case, right? Who's the judge?"

Chloe just wanted to leave and visit in a week once she'd finished this case. "Colin Bogira."

"You're kidding. He hates me."

"I know, Tom."

Tom ran a hand through his hair, looking around the visitation room. "Wear something revealing. He has a thing for the ladies. That black dress I got you in Houston, wear that." Chloe looked at him, shaking her head. Tom was amazing sometimes.

An intercom blared: "Visiting hours have now concluded."

"You know there was something weird about that case: the Combs case. There was a rumour going around that something got buried: 'pitted.'"

Chloe stopped in her movements to leave, "What?"

Tom stopped, taking a moment to think as he watched other families leaving. "I don't know. Something important. Evidence or testimony."

Chloe considered it as a guard approaches. "I should go."

"Thanks for playing the bread-winner for a while, Chloe. I know you're not really built for this stuff." Chloe stared at him. Was he really implying that she was just a housewife to him? "It won't last forever. Lily likes to think that if this appeal goes well, I should be out in a year. Then things can go back to normal."

What if she didn't want things to go back to 'normal'. "You know what, Tom? It took me eight years to realise it. But I am built for this stuff. And we're never going back to normal." She follows the guard away from the visitation room, away from, away from her life as a good housewife. With each step she takes, the look of determination on her face grows more obvious.

What if evidence was pitted?

* * *

"Chloe, I'm not following. If they did 'pit' evidence, how does that help us? I don't have a law degree, remember?" Stacie was sitting on Chloe's desk, watching every one of the redhead's moves.

Chloe's nails tapped against the wood, "Look, the cops focused on Jennifer even _before_ they did a chemical analysis of the trace evidence; so what if they only did an analysis of what fit their theory?" She held up a piece of paper. "Look."

"I don't get what I'm looking at." Stacie took the piece of paper from between Chloe's fingers. The redhead pointed to a slanted line in the upper corner. "What's that, a staple?"

"I think so." Chloe took the paper back, "but guess what."

"There's no page two?"

Chloe nodded, "no page two. What's the point of having a staple if there isn't another piece of paper?" Stacie pondered on that thought. She liked this new Chloe. Even a few days after the redhead had visited Tom she was still oozing confidence — even with the idea of her wedding ring weighing her down.

"You think they kept page two out of the discovery because there was something incriminating?" Stacie looked at the bottom of the page—'P.T.O' written there.

"I think either they did, or it would be helpful in court to _imply_ they did." Stacie picked up Chloe's car keys from the desk, planning to drop into the Walmart that constantly came up in the prosecution's case. "Look, Jennifer's innocent, but if we can get her off on a process question, that's still justice."

Stacie swung the keyring around her finger. "So just so I'm clear: we're a day away from trial and you're thinking of dropping the old strategy?"

Chloe nodded, grabbing her coat before standing up. "Aubrey barely convinced a cat lady to acquit. So, yes."

Stacie folded the lab report up, placing it in her pocket. "Okay. I'll check into it. We need to check this line of sight. Let's do a 'people of Walmart' drinking game."

Chloe giggled, "seriously?" Her eyes moved across the office space, to where was sitting working on a case of his own. "Let's get this over with." Stacie followed Chloe out to the redhead's car, before they made their way to the Walmart which was tied into the case.

Stacie got out of the car as soon as Chloe parked, taking out a wad of pictures, "So a pick-up truck is crossing a well lit, empty parking lot and for some reason Jennifer's disorientated, and thinks it's coming not from **that** direction, but _ **that**_ direction."

Chloe looked between the photo and the view. Nothing alike.

"I don't believe it."

Stacie shook her head, "Me neither. So how is a truck missed by that surveillance camera?" She pointed a perfectly manicured finger at a surveillance camera on the side of Walmart.

Chloe looked around, "Mis-marked surveillance tape?" Stacie's eyebrows furrowed in thought, the leggy brunette moving to unbutton the top two buttons of her blouse. "What are you doing?"

"I'm working. These are better than subpoenas." Chloe couldn't argue with that. She followed Stacie inside, wondering how Stacie managed to keep her job since she mainly spent her time wandering around with two buttons undone. She walked up to the head of security once they were in the back of the store. "We just need to see how the surveillance system works, and we'll be out of your hair in five minutes."

Chloe looked at Stacie, the latter using her breasts to get what she wanted.

The security guard looks around, "Five minutes?" Stacie nodded, making Chloe smile. They made their way into the security office, where a computer showed a surveillance image of the nighttime parking lot. It played on a loop. "See, the computer automatically records the surveillance, and marks the date and time."

Stacie took out her camera, "This is the night of the murder?"

The security guard nodded, "Yes. But even if the computer did mis-mark it, I make an hourly sweep around the lot, and I didn't see any pick-up truck. Look, that's me—at 11:03—just before the murder."

The computer showed the security guard making his way across the parking lot, the timecode matching up to the date and time of the murder. A dead end.

Stacie leaned closer to the monitor, "Can we get copies of these?

The security guard shrugs, "Sure. Laine! I need some disks!"

Chloe watched as an older woman stood up from her desk. "Alright." Chloe looked at Laine's desk. She noticed the photos, the gym bag, a dozen Diet Coke cans crushed in the bin. Chloe looked back to Stacie, who doesn't appear to be getting anywhere with the security guard—the brunette's down to three buttons. Chloe placed a number of quarters into the vending machine and bought two Diet Coke cans. She moved back towards Laine's desk. "Hi. Your machine gave me an extra Diet Coke. Want one?"

Laine looked up, the sight of Chloe standing in the doorway made her skeptical. "Aren't you one of the lawyers?"

Chloe shrugs, "I'm just helping out. If you want the Coke, it's yours." Laine shrugs and takes it, quickly opening it. Chloe follows suit, regretting drinking it as the feeling of the syrup covers her teeth. She moves towards one of the photos. "Those kids are gorgeous, are they yours?"

Laine quickly finished her can, throwing it in the bin. "Thanks. Two kids. Two grandkids."

Chloe smiled, nodding towards the security guard. "Is he always that charming?"

Laine shrugs, "He's fine. Just a lazy mall cop." Chloe giggled. "When school's out, and all the high school girls come over here, mall cop's the first one down on the floor, showing off his gun. But, night shift, he can't get his fat ass out of his chair. I'm the first one in in the morning, and I'm always waking him up."

Chloe looked at Laine, "Really?"

* * *

Chloe watched as Benji continued his cross examination, "Now why is this wheel puncture something a carjacker would never do, detective?"

The detective, a large, stocky man, adjusted his position in his seat at the stand, "Well, it sort of defeats the whole purpose. I mean, how do you steal a car with a flat?"

Chloe looked across at the jury, who are all making notes. That was a good point on Benji's behalf. Damn.

Jennifer whispered in the redhead's ear, "It's not going well, is it?"

Chloe whispered back, "It's early still. Keep hope Jen."

Benji looked at Chloe, "Your witness."

Chloe stood up, crossing her arms as she walked towards the stand, "Detective Briggs, what is "the pit"?"

An air of confusion fell over the courtroom. Stacie smiled from her seat, watching. "Excuse me?"

Chloe smiled, "it's okay, take your time. In police circles, what is "the pit"?"

Bumper jumped to his feet, "Objection, your honour?" It came out more as a question than a statement.

Judge Bogira shrugged, "On what grounds?"

Bumper raised an eyebrow, "relevance?"

Judge Bogira rolled his eyes, "Well, let us see how relevant this becomes, shall we? Detective, answer the question."

Stacie smirked as the detective rolled his eyes, obviously not happy with Chloe's question. "The pit? The pit is police slang for evidence that is thought irrelevant to a crime scene."

Chloe moved her hands to her front, grasping her pen, "And when an officer is referring to "dropping something in the pit" or "pitting it" he refers to what?"

"Excluding it from the crime scene narrative. But this is only the case with irrelevant details. We never exclude pertinent evidence."

"Was anything from the Combs crime scene pitted? For an example?"

Bumper had barely sat down, "Your honour, objection!"

* * *

Judge Bogira looked the three attorneys up and down as they stood before him in his chambers. "Okay, okay. So, Mrs. Hamilton, none of this was in the first trial when Ms. Posen was defence council, is it your intention to pursue a new defence?"

"Yes, your honour."

Bumper's face was red, "Counsel is trying to mislead the jury with a claim of police corruption!"

Judge Bogira shook his head. "Oh, shut up, Allen. Is she right? That's the question. Did you bury something?"

Bumper pointed a finger at Chloe. "I— We all know what's going on here. Tom Hamilton was a corrupt S.A. If evidence was buried, he buried it; and now she's benefiting from his knowledge!"

Judge Bogira rolled his eyes once more, "Which still leaves you with a possible second page missing here! I'll give you until Monday to produce it, along with any evidence it references, then I'll rule on admissibility. And you, Mrs. Hamilton, I'm not sure if you're being fed this stuff or you're doing it on your own, but I'm not going to allow a fishing expedition in my court. Understand?"

Chloe nodded, "I do, your honour."

Judge Bogira looked Chloe up and down, "You seem to be learning quick, Mrs. Hamilton, congratulations. But you'll find there's only one rule in trial work. Don't waste the judge's time. Are you wasting my time?"

Chloe shook her head, "Never, your honour."

* * *

Jesse's words cut through the tension as he paced Aubrey's office. He, Aubrey and Beca were discussing other matters until Bumper Allen phoned with the details on the pitted evidence. "The directive was simple: follow the strategy of the first trial. Instead you're pushing for trace evidence that might not even help your case."

Chloe refused to back down, she'd had this behaviour from her friends before. "I interviewed the first jury and they voted eleven to one to convict, so I—"

Aubrey looked at her, "Excuse me, that's not true. It was evenly split."

Chloe folded her arms, "No. Half the jurors switched votes only when they couldn't get a "troubled" juror to deliberate." Beca snorted, _**seriously?**_ "So it was my judgement to change strategies."

Aubrey took this personally, scowling at the redhead, "Was it your judgment not to update us?"

Chloe sighed when she found herself outside the office with her hands shaking. "Chloe!" Chloe sighed at the sight of Alice and Phil walking towards her. "We've gotta stop meeting like this." The brunette laughed.

Chloe smiled fakely, "Hey, Alice."

Chloe began walking back in the direction of Stacie and her office, her sanctuary. "We're just finishing up the estate documents today. But you know who I ran into downtown? Lara. I told her I saw you, and she said she was going to give you a call so the three of us could have lunch."

Chloe sighed, stopping in the reception area. "Alice, I don't mean to be rude, but... Lara isn't going to call, and we're not going to have lunch. And that's fine. Really, it is." Alice stared at her, Chloe's blunt honesty taking her by surprise. This wasn't the woman she saw marry Tom Hamilton. "Everybody's moved on. It's not a good or bad thing. It's just what happens. It's great to see you. I have to get back to work." Chloe walked off, Alice watching her go. The slightest bit of guilt etched in the corner of the housewife's eye.

Jesse's, Aubrey's and Beca's assistants all heard crystal clear what was going on inside that corner office on the 39th floor.

"She's a junior associate who doesn't think she's a junior associate. Her husband was the State's Attorney, she lived in Highland Park. It's not just trying to teach an old dog new tricks. It's trying to teach an _ **entitled**_ dog new tricks."

Jesse scoffed at Aubrey's words, "Oh, come on, Aubrey. She's trying to win a case. You mentor these women until they start competing with you. **You** asked for **our** votes to hire her!"

Aubrey stared back at Jesse, "What? Excuse me!"

Beca rolled her eyes, swirling her cup of coffee around, "Okay, okay. What are your recommendations?"

"I think we should reprimand Chloe, she's only been here five minutes, and put Donald in as first chair."

Jesse turned to Beca, "You must have an idea?"

Beca shrugged, "You know one thing we haven't talked about? What if there is something in this missing trace evidence?"

Stacie jumped onto the couch in Chloe's office, "Aubrey was complaining about you."

"She was top at everything, she's my friend, but I expect it from her. I undermined her." Chloe continued watching the footage form the Walmart car park.

Stacie dropped a document on Chloe's desk. Two pages.

"Dog hair, from an Italian greyhound." The brunette smirked, "you're welcome. Aubrey was right—the police are sexist sometimes."

Chloe beamed, "So we're looking for a greyhound owning senior citizen?"

Stacie raised an eyebrow, "'We'? I hear you're being bumped to second chair. Jesse and Aubrey voted against Beca. Donald takes over tomorrow, we can take a final session this afternoon…"

Chloe had already jumped up, grabbing her coat and bag. "Let's skin this bitch."

* * *

Bumper pressed play, the footage from the Walmart car park playing for the court to see. "This is at 11:03, the night of the murder, Mr. Mitchell. And that's you crossing the lot, correct?"

The Walmart security guard nodded. He was in a suit, as opposed to his usual attire of his uniform. "Yes, sir, that is correct. It's part of my job to make a circuit of the lot every hour on the hour." Chloe looked at Jennifer, smiling softly as the woman glowed, the pictures of her daughter making her light up.

Bumper paced in front of the jury, "And you saw no mysterious pick-up truck? No evil carjackers racing past you? Nothing the defendant claims she saw? Correct?"

"That's correct."

Beca and Jesse slipped into the courtroom, the duo seating themselves behind Stacie. The latter whispered to the brunette, "How's it going?"

Stacie shook her head. "Can't tell yet. If we undercut him, we're halfway home. But we still have to throw together a defense."

Jesse and Beca both nodded, Beca noticing a man leaning against the wall. "What the heck is Gregory Childs doing here?"

Stacie looked over at the tall man, "What do you think? They're worried she's working for her husband."

The trio turned back to see Chloe standing, ready for her cross-examination. A bailiff wheeled two monitors next to the first as the redhead made her way over to the witness stand.

"Thank you. Now, Mr. Mitchell, we have three images here. The middle one is the night of the murder. The left is the surveillance from the night before the murder. And the right is the surveillance from the night after the murder. Correct? Can you see the dates on all three?"

He leaned forward, "Yes, I can. That's correct."

Chloe took the remote from beneath the monitors, "Good. And, as you said before, here you are—let me roll these forward a bit—here you are crossing the lot at 11:03 on the night of the murder? And here you are…"

Chloe paused, her eyes catching sight of Gregory Childs standing at the back of the courtroom.

Judge Boriga leant forward, "Mrs. Hamilton?"

Chloe nodded, turning back to the security guard with more bite, more passion. "And here you are, Mr. Mitchell, doing the same the night before and the night after the murder. Making a circuit of the parking lot. It must get old?"

The security guard shook his head, "No, ma'am. My job may not pay as much as yours, but I love it." Bumper and Benji eyed Chloe, a mix of curiosity and boredom clear in their faces.

Chloe smiled, "Okay, now let's fast-forward the image another forty-five minutes, shall we? There. What do you see?"

"Nothing."

Chloe pointed to the corner of the screen, "No, there. Do you need to move closer?"

He squinted, sitting back when he saw what Chloe was referring to. "Oh. It looks like a shopping bag."

"Actually it is. A plastic shopping bag. It was windy that night. And it blew across the lot at 11:48."

Bumper stood up, his arm pointed at Chloe, "Your honor, objection, what does this have to do with anything?"

Judge Bogira shrugged, "Beats me. But I'm interested. Aren't you, Mr. Allen? Overruled."

Chloe smirked at the A.S.A.s, "Now let me fast-forward these other two monitors—the night before the murder and the night after— to the same time code." She did, the same plastic bag flying across the car park. "What do you see?"

The shocked security guard shook his head, refusing to believe he'd just been busted. "I don't know."

Chloe smiled, "I think you do know, sir. Either you have a plastic bag that blows across your lot every night at 11:48 or these are copies of the same tape."

Benji and Bumper both closed their eyes — _shit._ The judge chuckled, and the jury moved to make notes on their pads. Beca's smirk widened as Chloe clicked play on the tapes, the exact same bag blew across the screen at the exact same time.

"I didn't—It's not what it looks like!"

Chloe nodded, "I understand, sir. It's not that you willfully misled the police?"

"No, right—correct."

Chloe looked smug as her eyes cast over to Gregory Childs. "It's just that it's cold out at night? And sometimes you don't make the circuit of the lot?"

"Yes."

Chloe began piecing it together for the jury, "So, on nights you don't go out, you don't record the actual surveillance image; you just set your computer to duplicate the night before in case the manager checks it, is that correct?"

"Yes."

"So just to be clear: there is no recording of the night of the murder, and you were never in a position to see or not see a pickup truck with carjackers?" The security guard nodded, destroyed. "Was that a yes, _sir?_ "

"Yes."

"No further questions."

Chloe sat back down in her chair, her smile wide.

 _ **Beca Mitchell: Staff meeting at 9:30 tomorrow, Aubrey and I need you for a civil case.**_

* * *

"It's a Posen, Mitchell and Swanson tradition. Your first win, you celebrate with the investigator. They acquitted Jennifer and went for her ex-husband's new wife's brother. She wanted him dead." Chloe shook her head as Stacie lined shots along her kitchen counter. "We'd normally do it in the office, take body shots around the place — but Aubrey and Jesse are working late."

"That better not be—"

"Class action goes to final session tomorrow, there's no sex. Although it would be hot." Chloe giggled at Stacie's words, staring at the glass in her hand. "To shitty husbands and the accused wives!"

"Here here!" Chloe smiled, she couldn't wait to get properly acquainted with everyone. "To beating Bumper Allen!" They both threw the shot back.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Constitutional Rights  
**_ _03: Under Immense Pressure_

* * *

"This is _**ridiculous**_." Chloe looked up from her work, her eyes focussing on the man outside her office. "You have a week, Ms. Mitchell, because I am not sure whether your defence is good enough."

Chloe furrowed her eyebrows – it had been a month since her Combs pro bono; and since then she'd only been offered mundane case research. The sudden drama in the office was the first real excitement in Posen, Mitchell and Swanson for weeks.

"Luke, there is no way we'd lose in court." Both Beca and Aubrey looked stressed, Chloe noted. This argument has caught the attention of everyone in the 27th floor, many of the junior associates moving to the doors of their offices, yearning for a closer look.

The blonde man stopped to take a breath. "Fine, I want a mock trial. You two against two others from the firm; they have 24 hours and a $10,000 budget for witnesses and investigative work." The businessman finished buttoning up his suit jacket. "I swear that if you two lose, I am settling and giving you the bill – no legal costs included. $164 million, that's a nice profit." Luke clasped his hands together in front of him, smiling softly before leaning forward; his voice taking a more serious note. "I swear to God; I will have every last cent of that. I don't give a flying fuck if we're related Aubrey, I am still being sued." Luke pushed a phone off an assistant's desk before continuing on his way to elevator.

Chloe slowly moved towards her office door. She looked across the office to Stacie, the leggy investigator shrugging before holding her fingers to her temple, miming a shooting action.

Beca placed an earphone into her ear. "Someone get me Junk from family law." Chloe watched as the brunette glanced around the office. "Chloe, you get on this too. You go to court tomorrow, don't act like this is some law school bullshit that won't matter."

Chloe nodded quickly as a pile of files were dropped into her arms. "We won't talk until court tomorrow. Jesse has agreed to play judge; no bias at all." Aubrey ran a hand through her hair. "You can hire an actor to play the plaintiff, **one** expert witness, you cannot put Luke on the stand."

A young woman ran towards Chloe's office. "That's not fair, you can't tell the actual plaintiff not to put Luke on the stand." She turned to Chloe. "Emily Junk, family law."

Aubrey began to walk off towards the stairs leading to the 28th floor. "Good luck, you'll need it."

Chloe looked to Emily. "Have you ever been in court?"

Emily sat down on Chloe's couch. She didn't look much older than twenty-two, Chloe noted, with happy eyes. "They've been preparing their case for three months now, and we have, what, 24 hours? Yeah, that's fair." Emily quickly took the file from Chloe's hands, opening it. "My mom used to be a partner, y'know, when this was the original Posen, Mitchell and Swanson."

Chloe hummed. "So, that leaves us the element of surprise." Emily looked at her.

"Have you ever played your boss in tennis? Whatever they say, they don't want to lose."

"Your mom was a partner?" Both women looked to Stacie, the investigator leaning against the doorframe. "Aubrey doesn't want a fair fight, Chloe, Aubrey wants, _**needs**_ , to win this. Emily, no offence, but they've put you on this because you're not litigation – you're with family – and _**Fat**_ Amy wants you off your mother's divorce case."

Chloe felt Emily's demeanor change, the young woman standing up. "We're the red team – let's get t-shirts made up."

* * *

"So, how is it, Red Team?" Beca leaned against the door to the conference room, Chloe and Emily having their files spread across the table. Emily threw a pen at the petite woman, "okay Junkle, calm down – I'm going." Beca sent a quick wink towards Chloe. "I'll see you both in court."

Beca began her journey towards the elevator, just as Stacie poked her head around the doorframe. "So, how's it going? I don't see any t-shirts."

Emily giggled, "we have them on back order."

Chloe held the can of drink in her hand, carefully rolling it over in her fingers. "Six people have died because of this drink… Can you get any relevant files on this, Stacie?"

Stacie moved into the room, placing her notebook down on the table. "I can't." She shrugged. "The files belong to Posen, Mitchell and Swanson – a firm that you no longer work for since you're the plaintiffs." She shrugged. "Sorry."

"You're technically freelance." Stacie nodded at Emily's words – _yes_. "So, what's your fee?"

"$400 an hour."

Chloe sighed, running her hand over her forehead. "What about for friends?"

Stacie tilted her head to the side for a moment. "$450."

Emily groaned; they'd been working for over six hours, and seeing Beca leave at eleven o'clock in the evening wasn't the most promising thing ever. "We can have twenty hours, get the cheapest expert, and still win." She looked at Chloe, the older woman looking tired to the point of exhaustion. "I'm a first year divorce attorney, you're a junior associate… If we win this, Chloe, we can be promoted – I'll prove my worth and maybe I'll be more than an overpaid paralegal."

Chloe twirled her pen in her fingers, her head nodding.

Stacie flipped her notebook open. "Good doing business with you two."

* * *

"Are you sure we're ready?" Emily's whisper was quiet in Chloe's ear. "Because they're smiling like they know something." Emily nodded towards Aubrey and Beca, the two named partners quietly discussing things.

A man moved to stand in front of the jury. "Thank you for participating in T&R Legal Research's mock trial, you're our jury."

Chloe looked over the group of ten, writing out numbers in two rows, like the Jury were sitting. "We will circle each one who we win over, write their recommended payout. This way we're able to actually fight their case by conducting eye contact with the suitable jurors."

Emily smiled. "That's awesome – I have much to learn."

The man continued speaking "The issues here are real, the lawyers are real, the judge's rulings are real. Even this courtroom is real, and, of course, you are real."

Chloe looked back over at Beca and Aubrey – the two partners finalizing sections of their arguments.

"So, I'm sure you've noticed the cameras over your head and placed strategically throughout this courtroom – just ignore them. They are recording your responses for later analysis, we'll be checking in with you now and then to get a sense of how the trial is going. So, without further ado, I won't tell you anything about the case. I will leave that to them." He signaled to the defense and plaintiff tables before walking off in the direction of the observatory room.

Chloe stood up; assuming her position. "This is the drink that killed our client, it's called Thief. It contains 240 milligrams of caffeine; that is the equivalent of _**12 cups of coffee**_. It also contains one of the highest caffeine containing plants in the world." She turned the television remote over in her hands. "Now, you may have seen this drink on the store shelves. You may not have bought it, because this is how it's advertised." She looked over her shoulder before pressing the play button on the remote, an intense advertisement beginning to play.

Emily looked to Beca and Aubrey, both women muttering between them. When Chloe looked at Emily, the divorce attorney smiled.

" _This is your mind without Thief."_ A cartoon of a deer in a woodland setting was displayed. _"This is your brain on Thief."_ The deer promptly blew up, the screen being replaced by extreme sports and activities – making the members of the jury jump in their seats.

"Shit." Beca muttered. "Aubrey, we didn't plan for this."

Chloe folded her arms. "It's advertised to kids; one such child was our client's granddaughter. Bella Ward."

"They're not taking prisoners." Aubrey muttered back, "Junk's family law, we are fine."

Chloe turned around. "I'm sorry, Ms. Posen, do you have an objection? It isn't very polite to be talking through my case." Silence. "She died last year. Bella Ward, that is, Ms. Posen is still with us. Bella died from a massive seizure, caffeine toxicity."

Beca stood up. "Objection, these photos weren't in evidence."

Emily too stood up. "Ms. Mitchell cannot object because these photos are on Facebook. This means that we are able to insert any photos available to the public into this case."

Jesse shrugged towards his fellow named partners. "Nice try Ms. Mitchell – overruled."

Chloe smiled. "Now, I know the opposition here, I know Aubrey Posen, she's a good lawyer. I know what she's going to tell you – she is going to blame the victim. She is going to say that this 16-year-old should've known better, that Bella caused her own death. Then, she's going to blame the grandparents. It's unclear how both principles could be true, but all she has to do is tarnish one of them to make it work." Chloe made her way back to the table and sat down. "This is my co-counsel, Emily Junk, she's new to court, your honour, so she apologises for any mistakes."

Emily stood up, placing a can of Thief on the wood in front of the jury. "So I ask one thing of you: don't be fooled. You wouldn't let a crime victim be blamed. Bella, in many ways, is a crime victim. The only difference here is the assailant, and the assailant here is Thief. They advertised their drink to her, and then they killed her. They need to be held accountable or they will do the same to your kids, I see this especially relevant to Ms. Posen, who is expecting. Thank you."

"Objection!"

Jesse twirled the gavel in his fingers, he quite liked being in charge. "Grounds?"

"The grounds of this being _**fucking bullshit**_!"

Emily folded her arms. "I object to Ms. Posen's behavior, clearly that's argumentative, foul mouthed, and I would like you to keep this in mind, your honour and jury."

Jesse rubbed his temples. "All four of you, get your non-pregnant asses into my chambers."

* * *

Luke paced back and forth. "You have been in there for ten minutes. _Ten minutes_ , Aubrey. Will you lose your temper like that in court?" Chloe smiled.

"Sorry Luke, I won't."

Jesse folded his arms. "All four of you need to sort your shit out. I'm saying you this as your judge, not your partner. Chloe, Emily, no false claims. Even if you want to 'win' this, you need to avoid attacking your bosses. Beca, just keep her under control please."

* * *

Chloe watched as Emily approached their first witness. "So in your expert opinion, Dr. Borgnine, how did Bella die?"

The doctor, a greying man in his fifties, looked towards the jury. "A seizure due to caffeine toxicity which caused her to aspirate emesis into her lungs. In simpler terms? She choked on her own vomit."

Emily smiled. "And this was caused by this drink?" She handed the drink over to the doctor, who opened it.

He smelt the drink. "Yes. I know it looks innocuous, but it's not – it killed her."

Emily nodded, "Thank you, Doctor. Your witness; counsel without child."

" _ **Now**_ I'm pissed." Aubrey stood up, "thank you for clarifying my maternity status, Ms. Junk." She walked over to the witness, taking the drink from the juror's pen. "This is Bella, the 16-year-old who died, but this is Bella, too, in a photo we weren't aware of until the plaintiff presented it in court this morning." Aubrey pressed the remote, the screen displaying a side by side comparison of the two photos Chloe had presented earlier in the day. "Doctor, can you tell the difference between the two photos?"

Chloe stood up. "Objection; that's a vague question in itself."

"Nice try, overruled." Jesse looked at the doctor. "You need to answer."

"She looks… thinner."

Aubrey nodded. "I agree. Isn't it possible for sufferers of anorexia to die from seizures due to purging?"

Chloe held her head in her hands. "Great."

* * *

"Was she your only grandchild?" Emily handed a tissue to the actress they'd hired to play Bella's grandmother. "I'm sorry, this is necessary to our case – we need you in order to prove that Ms. Mitchell and Ms. Posen's client is fully liable for your wonderful granddaughter's death."

The actress continued sobbing. "I cry out every night for her. Bella, my Bella!"

Emily smiled softly, taking the actress' hand. "And you were the one who discovered her body?"

"Yes, it was me. I held her close to me, so close, and she felt cold. Cold as the grave, cold as the night. Please, baby, please don't go. Please, Lord, don't take her. Oh, sweet Heavenly Father!"

"Ms. Posen, wish to intimidate a grieving grandmother?"

Beca cleared her throat. "Objection."

Emily smiled, "withdrawn."

* * *

Jesse rubbed his forehead. "Do you have any more witnesses?"

Chloe rose from her seat, trying to suppress a smile from Beca and Aubrey. "Yes, Your Honor." She folded her arms. "We call Arthur Schumacher, Thief VP of marketing."

Beca stood up. "Uh, Your Honor, objection, this name was not on the plaintiff's witness list."

Emily smiled, too standing up. "It was on the defendant's witness list, Your Honor. Now, unless Ms. Mitchell and Ms. Posen wish to settle with the plaintiff, we're calling him as a hostile witness."

Jesse looked at hs partners. "Is he here anyway?"

Chloe smiled. "Yes, I believe he's in the observation room."

Beca threw her pen across the courtroom. "Fuck."

When the VP of marketing was positioned in the witness stand, Chloe stood in front of him. "I'm not familiar with Thief Light, would you like to enlighten me?"

"Well, it's zero carbs and zero sugar." Arthur leaned back in the chair. "Our top selling product."

Chloe sighed. "So it's advertised as a diet drink?"

Arthur shook his head, "No, a low-cal energy supplement." He looked towards the jury. "We only advertise our products truthfully."

Chloe clicked the button on the remote, she didn't trust him, or his boss' company. "And have you seen this Web site before?" Arthur shook his head. "You see that there, 'Gorgeously Thin'?"

An air of realisation dawned on his face. "Ah, yes, I've heard of it."

"This is a pro-ana website."

Aubrey stood up. "Objection, this is irrelevant."

"Anorexia wasn't irrelevant when you fought for it four hours ago." Emily muttered.

Jesse rubbed his chin. "I don't understand, Ms. Beale. Pro-ana?"

"Pro anorexia." Emily supplied. "It promotes anorexia, which is extremely relevant when Ms. Posen creates conspiracy about the plaintiff's granddaughter's medical records."

Jesse nodded, "right. Thank you Ms. Junk. Go ahead, Ms. Beale."

"Do you see this posting? _'So I weighed myself, and I'm down 1.5 pounds'._ "

Beca looked up from where her head was lying on the table. "Yay."

Chloe hummed. " _'Have lots of energy, too. Trying new power drink, Thief Light. Signed, Girl-in-jeans45.'_ What is a cyber shill?"

Aubrey scrunched up a water bottle.

"It is perfectly legal." Arthur folded his arms. At Chloe's silence he relented. "A freelance worker who helps promote products by posting laudatory comments on Web sites."

"Thank you."

Chloe held up a piece of paper. "We were able to trace this laudatory - good word - posting through its IP address to your cyber shill."

"Good." Chloe turned around, walking back to the table. "Is Girl-in-jeans45 one of your freelance workers?"

Arthur cleared his throat."Well, just to be clear, she posts on hundreds of sites. Um, we're not targeting, what is, pro-ana sites."

Chloe could begin to feel the blood burning in her veins. "And do you know how many times Girl-in-jeans45 posted on Gorgeously Thin?"

"Well, as I just said, right, she's a freelance worker. I don't control her."

Chloe broke the awkward pause, her usually soft voice stern for a moment. "175, most of the time promoting Thief Light."

"Yeah, that's not illegal."

"You are under oath." Chloe placed a hand on her stomach. "Yes, but it's also true that you're targeting anorexics."

"No, dieters."

Chloe stopped in front of the jury. "And if Thief is targeting dieters, or anorexics, then it doesn't matter that Bella was anorexic, Thief is just as liable for Bella's death."

Aubrey stood up. "Objection, counselor is testifying."

Chloe smiled, happy with her questioning. "No further questions, Your Honor."

* * *

The same employee who introduced the mock trial moved to his spot in front of the jury. "I told you that I'd drop in and ask how it's going."

Luke cleared his throat as they watched through the monitors. "Aubrey, you're losing to a divorce attorney and a junior associate."

Aubrey shook her head. "They've only heard their side of the story. It's perfectly normal."

"It is not perfectly normal for the top litigators in Chicago to be losing to the disgraced wife of Tom Hamilton and a first year divorce attorney who's never been in court before." Luke folded his arms. "This is not good enough, Aubrey."

" _I'd suggest $50 million._ " All eyes turned to the monitors, where all the jurors were nodding in agreement.

"Aubrey, are you losing on purpose? Because I swear to God I will phone dad right now." Luke took his phone out of his jacket.

Beca took her headphones off; "Sir, give us a chance to present our case, and don't judge until you hear it all. They had the element of surprise. Now it's our turn."

* * *

"As the general counsel of Thief, could you tell us how this beverage came to market?" Beca stood in front of Luke.

"Thief has gone through the most intensive, two-year FDA process of approval."

She folded her arms. "And do you believe that Thief is safe?"

Luke chuckled. "Oh, it's more than safe, it has adhered to the highest standards of safety."

Beca nodded, "Thank you. No further questions."

Emily cleared her throat, "Mr… Posen?" She chuckled.

Aubrey stood up, "objection. Does Ms. Junk find the witness' last name funny?"

"It's just kind of… unethical to have your sister as first chair." Emily smiled. "You spoke of the FDA's approval process?" Luke nodded. "Was the approval of Thief as a food, or as a dietary supplement?"

"I don't understand."

"Did the FDA apply their food standards to Thief?"

Luke shook his head. "No."

"Can you elaborate?"

Luke shook his head again. "No, they, uh, considered it a supplement."

Emily hummed. "So there were no standards for Thief to meet since the FDA applies standards to food." She bit her pen, watching as Luke's eyes fell over her body. "So now according to your own records, you submitted Thief to the FDA more than once over this two-year process."

"That's not unusual."

"Yes, but the first time you submitted it as a food." Emily folded her arms. "Is that correct Mr. Posen?"

"Yes."

"Then you added one ingredient to the beverage? Didn't you? Here's the list of ingredients both times you submitted." Emily held a piece of paper up to Luke, a list of ingredients. "You see that there?"

Luke sighed. "Yes, I do."

Emily smiled, placing a copy of the paper on Beca and Aubrey's desk. "And once you added B12, that allowed you to claim the beverage was a dietary supplement and therefore not subject to stringent FDA approval."

Luke shook his head. "I would reject that characterization of our motives."

"Of course you would." Emily smiled sweetly. "In fact, isn't Thief identical to Rockstar, an energy drink which recently was sent an FDA warning letter for adding ginkgo? I don't know anything about that. And the only reason you weren't sent an identical warning letter is because you gamed the system, so you are not considered a food."

Beca stood up, "Objection, Your Honor, prejudicial."

Chloe stood up. "How is that prejudicial?"

Beca pointed a finger at Emily. "Because you're suggesting that Thief should be judged as a food when it's not a food.

Emily shook her head. "Yes, because they gamed the system."

Beca walked towards Chloe. "No."

Chloe moved a step closer to Beca. "It's about categories."

Aubrey too stood up. "The FDA has concluded - Thief is not a food.

Emily held the piece of paper up. "Wait a minute, the FDA didn't conclude any such thing."

Aubrey folded her arms. "Your Honor, which counsel is questioning?"

Jesse stood up. "Wait, wait, hold it. Quiet, please." He ran a hand through his hair. "Um I'm gonna side with the defense on this."

Chloe looked at the man. "What?"

Jesse folded his arms. "I said I'm gonna side with the defense on this, because your argument is prejudicial."

"It is not."

"Will you sit down? I said this argument is prejudicial."

Chloe shook her head. "There is nothing prejudicial about pointing out the hypocrisy of an FDA manipulation, Jesse. Stop bullshitting in order to get a client."

"Oh you cut the bullcrap Beale." Beca shot back. "First, Aubrey's pregnant, second I'm wrong? What's next? Aubrey, Jesse and I are having a threesome in Utah every Saturday? Oh, wait, Tom did that!"

Jesse began banging the gavel. "Keep yelling like this, you're going to find yourselves in contempt."

"We're not done questioning Mr. Posen." Both Chloe and Emily sat down. "We just need an hour to cool off."

* * *

"I feel terrible about this young girl Bella. If I could do anything to bring her back, I would." Luke's words sounded genuine.

"Thank you, Mr. Posen, no further questions."

"Actually we have a few questions, too, Mr. Posen." Chloe stood up just as Beca sat back down in her chair.

"Of course." Luke smiled.

"You did everything you could to ensure the safety of Thief, didn't you?" Chloe held her pen in front of her, choosing to allow Luke to answer.

"I did."

Chloe smiled softly. "How many children do you have, Mr. Posen?"

Beca stood up. "Objection, Your Honor, relevance?"

Chloe shrugged. "Ms. Mitchell asked this witness many biographical details, I'm just _completing_ the biography."

Jesse deliberated for a few moments. "I'll allow."

Luke swallowed, "I have one daughter."

Chloe nodded. "Her name is Bree, isn't it? She's 7 years old?"

"Yes."

Chloe nodded. "Nice name, I can only guess where inspiration for that came from."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Objection."

"I'll withdraw." Chloe leant against the jury's pen. "Do you let Bree drink Thief?"

Luke shook his head. "Watch yourself, Ms. Beale."

Chloe "Excuse me?"

Luke stood up. "You don't bring my daughter into this."

Beca stood up. "Objection, Your Honor." When Jesse looked vacant Beca folded her arms. "Again, relevance!"

"Your Honor, the witness must answer the question." Chloe looked at Jesse.

Emily too stood up. "This line of questioning Your Honor, this is absolutely relevant."

Aubrey scoffed. "Excuse me! This is nothing like a real court experience."

Chloe walked over to the blonde. "Because you are not addressing me as the plaintiff."

Aubrey towered over Chloe, making the redhead swallow. "The only reason you know his daughter's name is because - because he's our client."

Emily rolled her eyes. "That would happen in court, Ms. Posen, so would every ounce of unethical practicing within Posen, Mitchell and Swanson."

" _ **Unethical**_?" Aubrey scoffed. "That's rich for a first year divorce attorney."

Beca cleared her throat. "The height of unethical practice is Ms. Beale, Mr. Hamilton and a judge having an orgy."

Chloe's mouth dropped open. "Oh my god!"

Jesse shook his head. "That's enough! Let's have a little quiet, please."

Chloe turned towards Jesse. "Oh, I have to go to the bathroom."

Beca folded her arms. "You got a problem, you bring it to me. You don't take it to court."

"What? I'm a lawyer, you asked us to fight against you." Chloe's disbelief was evident, the redhead thrown off.

Aubrey shook her head. "We asked you to take this seriously."

Emily smacked a piece of paper down on the defence's table. "We are taking this seriously."

"You're losing us a client."

"That's not my fault." Emily pitched in. "He's your brother, he won't leave."

"It damn well is your fault!"

Chloe poked her finger against Beca's chest. "Well, then, take us off of it! Fire us! Get rid of us!"

Aubrey began collecting her papers from the desk. "Oh, that's what you want, huh? Fine, you're both fired."

Chloe stopped. "Listen to yourself, Aubrey." Emily tugged on Chloe's sleeve, a motion to stop.

"I am listening to myself; you can come back to the office with an apology to both me and Luke. How dare you stand in mock trial and make accusations." Chloe looked between Beca and Aubrey. "I understand that you need a job, Chloe. You can come back to yours once you and Emily decide on your future."

* * *

"She fired you?" Stacie asked, throwing back a shot. "Why don't you just make your own firm and rival them? You're getting this divorce right?"

Chloe nodded. "I suppose so."

"Beale, Junk and Associates."

"Aubrey will murder me." Chloe shook her head, she didn't want to leave within a month of gaining a job and seven months after that fateful press conference.

Stacie smiled. "Then just scare them."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Author's Note: Quick update, I know! Sorry about not leaving an Author's Note on last chapter, my mistake.**_

 _ **I hope this chapter entertains you, as it is 2,000 words longer than the other chapters, I think.**_

 _ **The pairings are still on track, I promise. ;)**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights  
**_ _04: A Turn of Events_

* * *

" _Have you gone back in yet_?" Chloe shook her head, watching Emily's reaction on her computer screen. The younger girl was in pyjamas in her apartment, sipping a cup of tea whilst they discussed their unemployment. " _Jessica said it's hell._ "

Chloe's eyebrows furrowed. "Jessica?"

Emily nodded. " _Yeah, Aubrey's assistant? She was my best friend; then we beat them._ " Emily sipped her tea again, " _Nowhere will want to hire me._ "

Chloe ran a hand through her hair. "Nowhere will hire me either." The thought of Stacie's words from the previous night coursed through her brain, "Why don't we start a new firm?"

Emily automatically began laughing, finding the redhead's suggestion humorous and absurd. " _I'm sorry,_ _**what**_?"

Chloe picked up a grape from her plate. "Beale, Junk and Associates." She popped the green fruit into her mouth. "I know I'm slightly rusty, but with your divorce clients, my extended family, and a viral video caught by a juror… this could actually work Emily."

Emily hummed, almost contemplating the proposal. " _We can round up some first years, maybe even Beca, before Aubrey knows we're in the building._ " Chloe nodded, it was most certainly a possibility. " _I'll meet you in the 28_ _th_ _floor bathroom in thirty minutes._ "

"See you there."

The Skype call disconnected.

* * *

Chloe waited for the elevator doors to open on the 28th floor. She could feel her heart beating in her chest, the danger of her sprint making her head pound with everything that could go wrong.

"Aubrey, Beca and Jesse are all in the partner's meeting over the class action. This means that if you take a direct route into Aubrey's bathroom, you can take the files and bypass any security in front of yours, Emily's or Fat Amy's offices." Stacie completed, notebook in hand. "You had 24 hours to clear out your office – you have three left. Until those three hours are up, Aubrey cannot throw you out without another reason."

Chloe sighed. "That's reassuring." The doors opened. "Wish me luck."

Stacie walked out of the elevator first. "I got the notes on the class action." Chloe took her chance whilst the receptionists were pre-occupied, quickly sprinting past the front desk and the main conference room.

* * *

"I propose we move for a swift trial, $14 million isn't enough to make every member of the class happy." Fat Amy continued. "Plus, we have a conflict of interest when it comes to Zuckerberg, the families are suing **him** ; I can only suggest we don't talk until the class action is finished."

Two heads looked up from the table at the sudden sight of red.

"Was that..." Jesse trailed off. "I thought she was…"

Beca rolled backwards in her chair, looking out onto the office. "Um, Aubrey?"

The blonde looked up from her pad. "What, Beca?"

The brunette snorted, looking between the office and Aubrey. "She's going towards your office." Beca rolled back to the table, flipping a page over. "Emily Skyped Chloe this morning, Stacie told me."

Aubrey waved her arm dismissively. "Beca, it's nothing to worry about."

Beca lowered her voice, moving closer to the blonde partner. "What about _Beale, Junk and Associates_?"

"Mark Zuckerberg's files are on my desk… Emily was working on his divorce." Several partners began muttering, each one raising issues. Aubrey stood up, "someone get me security. If need be, Fat Amy, lift the slut out of my law firm."

* * *

Chloe quickly searched through the drawers of Aubrey's desk, Emily playing guard in the doorway. Many of the assistants hadn't yet caught wind of their dismissal, leaving the only people in their way being the partners.

"Got the contract? I got Ashley to write a _Beale/Junk_ one up, she's coming with us." Emily looked towards the centre of the office, waiting for Aubrey and Fat Amy to turn up. "$56 million a year Chloe, it's big."

Chloe had resorted to tipping the draws out onto the floor, searching through the papers until the file and piece of paper caught her attention. "Got it; Luke Posen's client agreement."

Emily held out her hand, "give me that and the Zuckerberg file, I'll head down." Chloe passed over the documents, "You have two and three quarter hours remaining, they can remove me for this theft. Go get anything – files, contracts, invoices – I'll get the keys to the building, they said we can move in immediately."

Chloe nodded, "good. I'll get to my office and clear it out." She took a flash drive from the computer, "I'll copy this up, then return it. Start running. Who's coming with us?"

Emily smiled. "Every single second and first year attorney in family law, litigation attorneys who were screwed over when the equity partners revoked their partnerships, and Lily, the other investigator."

"That's thirty-seven employees." Chloe stood up. "They don't mind answering to us?"

Emily shrugged. "We're all in agreement, we have that over every other firm in Chicago." She turned around, the glimpse of blonde making her sprint from the office. Chloe immediately stood up, walking towards her office, quickly glancing over her shoulder.

When she reached Ashley, she leaned in, dropping her voice to a whisper. "We have about an hour; we need the files from the cloud." Ashley nodded, moving towards the stairs to the 27th floor.

"I want every single fifth year who was on the partner track fired!" Chloe looked behind her, Aubrey looked pissed. "You had three hours, _**now**_ you can get the fuck out of my building."

* * *

Jesse walked into a conference room. "You're fired, so are you – you lot too. Give me that laptop." He took everything: USB sticks, laptops and company phones. "If anyone else is with you, you send me names now, then we can consider you having your jobs back."

* * *

Beca placed a speaker on a table in the 27th floor. "I will turn off the Justin Bieber when you tell me who's going with Beale and Junk." She pressed play on her phone and allowed the 2010 hit _Baby_ to run through the office. "Someone tell me where Chloe Beale is or you can spend the afternoon with Aubrey; your choice." Ashley ran a hand through her unruly curls as she rushed trying to get files off the company's server.

* * *

On the 28th floor, Chloe hid in a bathroom cubicle, conducting calls with associates. She found a number of names at the back of her notebook, all clients who they'd spent the night trying to poach. Emily's name flashed up on her phone's display. "Emily?"

" _He signed, Luke Posen is now our client._ " The line quickly went dead.

* * *

Aubrey turned the I.T guy around, pinning him against a wall. "Cut off access to client files, _**now**_."

The man swallowed, looking at his tablet. "Ashley in family, she's downloading the Zuckerberg and Thief files. What if they're using files anyway?"

Aubrey scowled, her displeasure apparent. "I need to know what is being used, cut everyone off. No one accesses the files until I say so, give me a list of anyone who accesses them." She turned around, walking towards family law.

"Chloe Beale's computer is linked to yours, draining files."

* * *

"Ashley?" The brunette looked up at Beca's words. "You're fired, get out." Three security guards immediately walked up to her. They went to grab her, but Ashley began sprinting towards the nearest ladies' bathroom.

* * *

"You know what offends me most?" Chloe looked up, seeing Aubrey standing in the doorway of her office. Chloe stopped typing, the downloads being stopped. "The fact I stood up for you." A pause. "I got you hired, Chloe."

Chloe shook her head. "That offends you the most? You fired me because I won, Emily too."

"So that's who you're in league with? _Emily_?" Aubrey shook her head.

Chloe swallowed. "No, I am making a point. You brought this on yourself."

"The sad thing is, Chloe, I was your mentor." Aubrey closed Chloe's laptop, picking it up. "It was the heat of the moment, you could've come back yesterday evening, apologised and laid out your case."

Chloe shook her head. "This isn't a summer camp, Aubrey." She began collecting up her things. "When I came knocking, you didn't want to teach, you wanted to know what I knew about the State's Office."

"You're misunderstanding."

Chloe's eyes widened in disbelief. "I am not, Aubrey, you know that. Emily and I put our lives on hold for that one case, that one client we thought could get us a promotion." She dropped the phone which normally sat on her desk. "We need to start something. Like you, Jesse and Beca did when your parent's firm was under Chapter 11."

Aubrey's voice rose. "Then do it without out clients!"

Chloe laughed, "they aren't your clients!" She paused. "When was the last time you looked at ChumHum?"

Aubrey took a step closer to the redhead. "You're taking ChumHum?"

"I…" Chloe swallowed, casting her eyes anywhere but her blonde. Anywhere but the woman she used to call her best friend. "That… that is an example."

The blonde threw a legal pad onto the desk. "List everyone leaving with you."

"You can guess." Chloe threw the pad back where it came from.

"Unless you want every single attorney working with a high profile client fired, I recommend you write out that list." Aubrey raised a finger, pointing at the pad. "I am deathly serious."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "I don't see why you care; you have plenty more clients than the ones I'm taking."

"I don't like betrayal." Aubrey picked the pad up from the floor. "You're fired."

"For a second time?" Chloe asked, bemused.

"Yes." Aubrey dropped the laptop onto the floor and stepped on it, her heels causing damage to the Apple device Chloe was certain couldn't be repaired. "Get the hell out. Security will escort you."

The security guards led her to the elevator, Aubrey following them.

"I never meant this personally Aubrey."

The blonde pressed the button for the ground floor. "I don't give a damn."

* * *

The partners were gathered in the conference room, Jesse conducting a meeting about the future of associates working with now sensitive data. "Aubrey?"

Aubrey shook her head. "ChumHum."

"Our internet partner, ChumHum?"

Fat Amy and Cynthia Rose perked up. "We'll line them up to be fired."

* * *

Stacie walked through the floor, looking at the devastation that was left of many of the offices. "What happened?" She looked at Beca, the smaller woman leading the investigator into her office.

"We fired them: Chloe, Emily, Ashley and many others."

"Jesus."

"Are you going with them?" Beca looked at her long-term friend, Stacie simply shaking her head. "If you are you need to leave voluntarily, Aubrey's on the war path." Stacie nodded, flipping open her notebook. "I need to know which associates are going, and which clients. I need to know fast so we can contact them. Things are hell here, Stace, I need to know who I can trust."

"You can trust me."

Beca smiled, "great, find out what's going on." Stacie stood up, sending Beca a reassuring smile before she walked over to the door of the office, carefully opening before heading off to investigate _Beale, Junk and Associates_. Beca looked across into Aubrey's office, a number of people walking into it. She stood up, suppressing the eye roll as she walked across to her blonde partner. "Who are they?"

Fat Amy folded her arms. "They are the idiots Chloe gave names of." The Australian seemed proud of herself, Beca noted, which seemed extremely stupid considering the current issue. "We're going to fire their asses."

Beca rolled her eyes. "Chloe's screwing with you." Fat Amy raised an eyebrow. "They're all protected classes, you can't fire them and she knows that."

Fat Amy looked at the group of four. "Dammit."

Beca sighed. "Get to the second years – litigation and family, fire them. Get them out of the building, _**now**_."

Fat Amy smiled smugly. "My pleasure, shortstack." The Australian walked to the elevator, grabbing two security guards on the way. She pressed the button to the 26th floor, and glanced between the men beside her. When the doors opened, she immediately went into an office of her own second years, family law. "Get out, you're fired." She then made her way into another office. "Fingers off the keyboard, you're both fired."

* * *

Jesse walked into Aubrey's office, where the Executive Board were discussing their next moves. "We need to stop them."

Beca stood up. "Everybody get on a cell phone, all the partners. We split up the list, call every single client we have that they've worked with."

Aubrey nodded, "what should we tell them?"

"We tell them why they were fired." Beca supplied. "Not about the new firm, it has to include performance."

"She was stealing money." Cynthia Rose supplied. "Mention that their accounts were luckily left untouched."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "You're all criminal."

Jesse rubbed his chin, contemplating their next move. "Let's go to court, get a restraining order keeping them from our clients."

"Jesse, we can't win that." Beca voiced, Aubrey nodding in agreement.

Jesse folded his arms. He had a plan, "we don't need to win it, we just need to make them think we've won. We need to slow them down, make an off speed pitch." He began backing out of the office. "They've had twenty-two hours to pursue our clients, now we have the advantage."

* * *

Ashley walked into the coffee shop beside the lobby of the building. Everyone who'd been fired by the Executive Board was there, plotting their next move. "Are you the last one?" Emily asked, the youngest woman sipping a coffee having evidently being the first one out.

Ashley shook her head. "Lily is still there. Jessica said she'd come if we needed another investigator."

Chloe's eyebrows furrowed, wasn't Jessica Aubrey's assistant. "She's Aubrey's assistant?"

Emily shook her head. "No, that's brunette Jessica. Blonde Jessica is the new investigator, she'll come with us." Emily looked at Chloe. "She can get us downloads."

Ashley shook her head, that wouldn't work. "Aubrey blocked everyone from getting files, her, Beca and Jesse are the only people who aren't blocked."

Emily looked around the group of thirty-seven, all huddled together. "How are they getting work done?"

"They aren't?" Ashley smiled. "They're too busy battling us."

Chloe put her phone on the table, running a hand through her hair. "We have to get on with all of our clients, let them know we're moving now. There's no doubt they're doing the same thing, we took Luke Posen, Aubrey wants us dead." A waiter moved towards their table with a tray of drinks, setting it down. "We need to move fast, we need to split up our lists, they have three hundred people left up there, each and every one on the phone to a client."

"Shit." Emily cursed under her breath. Everyone looked to the divorce attorney, whose head was now resting on the table. "We're a day early for bonuses." A collective groan ran out.

"Guys." Chloe managed to fight to gain everyone's attention back. "If we don't get our clients in line, we don't have a firm to open. Luke is not enough to keep us from flopping. Emily call ChumHum, I'll call the stocks man."

* * *

A man in his late fifties picked up the phone. " _Steve Honorary_."

"Good morning, Mr. Honorary, it's Aubrey Posen of Posen, Mitchell and Swanson." Aubrey walked back and forth. "Have you heard? Unfortunately, we had to let Ms. Beale go, there were many issues with her performance."

" _What issues_?"

Jesse motioned for Aubrey to continue. "I'd rather not say, not until we have the authorities here. As named partners, we'd just like to reassure you that no money has been removed from your account."

* * *

Everyone quietened as Chloe dialled the number. "Mr. Honorary, hi. It's Chloe Beale, I wanted to get back to you about the firm."

" _Yes, you see, I'm not sure it's the best time for me to move right now._ "

Chloe slapped her hand over the microphone, whispering to everyone. "They got to him already." Sighs of defeat rang out between the group.

" _Were there some… financial irregularities?_ " Chloe ran a hand over her forehead. Emily turned around, approaching Stacie who was standing in the lobby. " _Ms. Posen, a truly lovely woman, warned me about some money being taken from accounts you've serviced._ "

Emily closed the door to the coffee shop, walking over to Stacie. "Did you still want a second investigator?" Emily raised an eyebrow, causing the brunette to roll her eyes. "Look. Posen, Mitchell and Swanson is beginning to crumble, Aubrey's going insane. She's going to fight you with everything she's got – so would you like another investigator?"

"We have two, Lily and Jessica are within our budget."

"They don't win cases, I win cases." Stacie smiled. "Last price you offered me, I'll take it. Where are your offices?"

Emily shook her head. "Stacie, what's going on?"

The investigator sighed, leaning in closer. "Posen, Mitchell and Swanson can't survive without you, Chloe and the others – family law is now just Fat Amy. I can read the writing on the wall."

Emily folded her arms. "You really want to join us? Then get us the ChumHum files; Aubrey has them under a firewall."

Stacie jotted this down in her notebook, trying to hide the page before it. "Where do you want me to take them? Here?"

Emily began to walk away, "One-five-five on Emerson." She walked back into the coffee shop just as Chloe was finishing another call. "How's it going?"

"We lost the Hedge Fund."

"And the Paisley Group." Chloe finalised. "They're bad-mouthing us like there's no tomorrow." Several phones were dropped onto tables. "It's Aubrey and Jesse, they're in commando mode; Beca will be following their ideas."

Emily sighed. "So what do we do?"

Chloe unlocked her phone, she was due to have a deposition today. "We distract them." She dialled her client's number, smiling when she picked up. "Hey, Candace. How's the deposition going?"

" _Nowhere._ "

Chloe smirked, "What's Aubrey doing?"

Candace turned around in the chair, looking at all the partners making phone calls. " _She's on her phone, why?_ "

Chloe hummed to herself. "I just don't think they have your best interests in mind." Candace hung up, leaving a smiling Chloe amongst her peers. "Done."

* * *

"Aubrey, we need to start this deposition." Candace stood in the doorway, her arms folded. "It's taken six months to organise this, we need to start now."

The blonde partner raised an eyebrow. "I'll talk to you later, bye." She removed her phone from her ear. "Candace, yes, I am so sorry. I just need a few more minutes to finish this up."

"No." Aubrey looked taken aback. "We need to do this _now_ , or they'll leave."

Aubrey sighed. "Yes, of course. Let me get my files, then we'll go."

* * *

When Emily's phone began to ring, the brunette picked it up immediately. "Mr. Mitchell, hello. It's Emily Junk, we spoke on the phone?"

Warren Mitchell continued walking down he stairs in his Chicago office. " _Ms. Junk, I was just on my way to your offices_."

"Can you meet us at your offices?" Emily knew it was a long shot.

Warren stopped in the middle of the flight of stairs. " _Why my offices_?"

Emily motioned for everyone to be quiet. "You see, Mr. Mitchell, we've made the decision to move today. Posen, Mitchell and Swanson have been very hostile recently, your estranged daughter included."

" _I should warn you, Emily, my peeps on the West Coast aren't too impressed that I may leave a firm like Posen, Mitchell and Swanson for what is essentially a start up_." Chloe rest her head against the table.

"A start up?" Emily cleared her throat. "We've already signed Luke Posen and his business." Chloe held five fingers up. "How about we come by and present to you our five-year plan?"

Warren chuckled. " _Just how I want to spend my afternoon, listening to my next five years._ "

Chloe's phone began vibrating on the table, causing the redhead to pick it up. "Hello?" Emily mouthed, ' _Candace?_ ' to which Chloe only nodded.

Candace glanced up and down the corridor, " _Chloe? Shouldn't we be going for wrongful termination, not sexual harassment?_ " Fat Amy approached the woman, trying to pry on the conversation.

Chloe frowned. "Candace? Isn't the deposition happening now?"

Fat Amy moved to face into the conference room as Candace continued talking on the phone. " _Yeah, but all of Aubrey's questions are geared to sexual harassment, I thought we agreed on wrongful termination?_ " Fat Amy began waving through the glass, trying to get Aubrey's attention that Candace was effectively on the phone with the opposition. Aubrey looked up long enough for the Australian to point at Candace.

"Excuse me a second." Aubrey quickly moved from the conference room. "Candace, is that Chloe on the phone?"

"Yeah." Candace replied simply. "She doesn't think we should be going for sexual harassment, but wrongful termination instead."

Aubrey smiled. "Can I talk to her? Please?" Candace nodded, holding the phone out for the blonde to take. Aubrey placed the phone beside her ear and walked around a corner, out of Candace's earshot. " _Chloe, you've been removed from your position at this firm_."

Chloe nodded. "Yes, I know. She called me."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. " _You engage with anymore of my clients and I swear to God I'll take you to court_."

"For _**what**_?"

" _For tortious interference._ "

Chloe scoffed, putting the phone on speaker. "Oh come on, the only person interfering here is **you**." Emily looked up. "Telling our clients that we stole money from you?"

" _All we told them was that you were fired. If you call any of them again you and Emily will not have a penny left to start this firm_."

Emily piped up. "Go to hell."

" _You'll be there first._ " The line went dead, making every one of the thirty-seven look at Chloe.

* * *

The elevator doors opened as Aubrey put the phone back in Candace's hand, Stacie emerging with her notebook. Beca and Jesse approached their other partner as Stacie neared them. "What did they say?"

Stacie smiled. "They don't have the ChumHum files."

Jesse raised an eyebrow, "Emily said that?"

Stacie nodded, "yeah, they're going to meet with Beca's dad." The investigator looked at Beca. "They have offices at one-five-five Emerson."

The smaller brunette grabbed Fat Amy's arm as the Australian went to walk past. "You know the Department of Health?"

The divorce attorney nodded and walked towards the elevators. "Department of Health? I have a violation: vermin infestation."

"We need court time, now." Aubrey noted. "Anyone else here with them?"

"Yes." Stacie looked over at reception, where Lily was furiously typing on a laptop.

* * *

Emily smiled at Chloe, "don't worry, we've got this."

"Beale/Junk & Associates?" Emily, Chloe and Ashley all looked to the stairs, where Warren Mitchell was making his way towards them. "There you all are." He paused, taking the time to shake their hands, "welcome to my house."

Emily smiled, "you remember Ashley? She Skyped you this morning."

Warren nodded. "I sure do, come on up." Just as the trio had begun to walk up the stairs, they were stopped by a courtroom mail boy.

"Chloe Beale?" He held out the envelope, "this is a restraining order preventing you from meeting with any representative of ChumHum. I read it: charges tor—"

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Tortious interference with trade."

The mail boy smiled. "That's correct!" He started walking off.

Warren Mitchell chuckled. "Well, this is awkward…" He began walking back up the staircase. "Let me know when you guys work this out."

Chloe sighed. "Dammit."

* * *

When the trio had finally made their way back to the coffee shop, the rest of the group were still discussing their office decoration plan.

"I suggest we paint them one at a time." Emily suggested, "that way we can still move in tomorrow."

Ashley pushed through the crowd. "We have a problem." She placed an orange sign on the table: "I just got back from the offices, ran five blocks. The department of health shut us down." Another groan ran out. "They got an anonymous tip there was vermin infestation."

Chloe shook her head. "When do we move in?"

"Two months."

Emily sighed. "It's Fat Amy and Cynthia Rose, it has their finger prints all over it." She looked around. "How did they even know we were going there?" All eyes fell onto her. "We need somewhere to work…"

Chloe's eyes widened. "No way is my apartment becoming a law firm."

* * *

Chloe glared at the defence table as she, Emily and Ashley all walked into the courtroom. "The Honourable James Chase presiding." All six lawyers stood up.

The judge: an ageing man with laryngitis, sat down in his seat. "This is because of a restraining order?" His voice was hoarse, and it was obvious he wasn't willing to mediate any arguments that occurred.

"Yes Your Honor, we have—" Chloe, Emily and Ashley all trailed off, having answered at the same time.

"That instils confidence." Fat Amy muttered from the first row of the gallery.

Chloe looked at the Australian. "This is a motion to suppress?" Chloe was brought back to reality by the five other lawyers staring at her.

"Yes, Your Honor." She looked pointedly at Aubrey. "There has been no 'tortious interference' of trade here. The court is taking sides in a legal splitting of firm."

Aubrey cut in. "If this affair was 'legally proper', we wouldn't be here fighting a restraining order – the attorneys trying to split off committed theft, thereby it become legally improper."

Chloe fought back. "Your Honor, we have not, it is the position of the plaintiff—"

Jesse looked at Chloe. "Just sit down and let his Honor speak."

Ashley folded her arms. "How about **you** sit down?"

The Judge's gavel fell. "I have laryngitis today; I require everyone to quiet down." Silence fell over the six. "Ms. Posen, do you or do you not have a witness?"

Emily looked over the gallery, swallowing upon seeing Stacie. "They have a witness alright."

Aubrey remained standing whilst Stacie sat in the witness stand. "Now, Ms. Conrad, were you planning to leave Posen, Mitchell and Swanson with the people you see before you?"

"Yes."

Aubrey smiled. "What made you change your mind?"

Stacie swallowed. "I thought they were lying to the clients they wanted to take."

Chloe rolled her eyes, sarcasm already dripping from her tongue. " _ **Wow**_ , a correct imitation of the language you need _Ms. Posen_."

Beca stood up. "Objection!"

The Judge leaned back in his chair. "Sustained, restrain yourself Beale." Chloe mimed zipping her mouth shut. "You may continue."

Aubrey sat back down. "Sorry, pregnancy wears out the knees." Emily rolled her eyes. "How did they lie to these clients?"

Stacie opened her notebook. "They said the partners didn't have their best interests at heart, they said only _**they**_ could offer continuity."

"How did you know this?"

Stacie shrugged. "I was with them for a brief three hours between nine last night and midnight."

"No further questions."

Chloe smiled. "Stacie, what has Posen, Mitchell and Swanson offered you today?"

"Objection." Jesse twirled his pen in his fingers. "Vague."

"Thanks." Chloe deadpanned. "I'll re-phrase. Did anyone at Posen, Mitchell and Swanson offer you a promotion in the past twelve hours?"

"Objection, Your Honor." Aubrey said, too forcefully for the judge's liking. "Relevance?"

Judge Chase rolled his eyes. "Seems relevant, she's seeing if you bought her testimony."

"Did offer you a promotion in the past twelve hours?"

Stacie shook her head. "Aubrey Posen merely paid her latest invoice."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "For?"

Stacie shrugged. "Investigating her, to check for any dirt you may dig up."

"She's not exactly thirty pieces of silver."

"Objection Your Honor!" The courtroom fell into the pit of hell, a replay of the mock trial, with Chloe holding her hand up for the opposition to yell at whilst Fat Amy had to be restrained from causing a dog fight.

Thirty minutes later, Judge Chase put his mug of coffee down. "In absence of any testimony to the contrary, I am ruling to keep the retraining order in place."

Emily stood up. "This means Posen, Mitchell and Swanson can continue to lobby clients."

Beca stood up too, "yes, Ms. Junk, because they are _**our**_ clients, not yours."

Chloe walked towards the other table. "They're intending to leave!"

Judge Chase banged the gavel again. "Yes, and if they're intending to leave, they will do. In the mean time the restraining order remains in place." He promptly stood up and left the courtroom.

All six lawyers stood up, approaching the aisle. Fat Amy folded her arms. "We're going to starve you of Oxygen."

Ashley laughed, "you really can't handle the competition?"

Aubrey held her hand up, silencing the divorce attorney. "It wasn't a competition; you went behind our backs."

Chloe began to walk towards the doors, rolling her eyes at the childish tendencies everyone held.

Fat Amy shook her head, watching the retreating litigator. "Yeah, that's right. You walk away, _Judas_." Jesse rolled his eyes.

Chloe stopped mid stride and turned around, automatically walking back to Fat Amy. She could feel the blood boiling in her veins, a level of anger she'd never reached before; not at Tom's press conference, not at mock trial when Beca had brought up the Utah threesome. Chloe was a happy person, someone who could get over the worst in people. But in that moment, all she wanted to do was make a necklace with clients she'd taken from Aubrey, Beca, Jesse and Fat Amy. "We're coming after you. _All_ your clients. Every single one we worked to make happy while you swept in at the last minute to take credit, we're taking them, and then you know what you'll have?" She looked Aubrey up and down. "A very nice suite of offices, and a walk-in wardrobe." She turned back around, striding through the doors and into the clear.

"Wow." Ashley complimented. "That was amazing."

Chloe walked over to the board displaying all the courtrooms in use. "Jesse had that bribery scandal a couple years back, which judges got burned?"

Emily quickly moved to stand beside her partner. "Parks, Donoway, Winters. Why?" Chloe scanned the board: _Winters, Courtroom 323_. "What are you doing?" Both Emily and Ashley followed Chloe towards the courtroom.

* * *

"We're the best firm in Chicago." Jesse soothed, "We have this over some start up."

"Posen, Mitchell and Swanson." Warren's voice boomed through the lobby as he walked down the stairs. "How you doing?"

They walked towards the stairs, Jesse taking the lead. "Warren, my brother, thanks for meeting with us."

"It's my pleasure!" Warren enthused, "you're looking great Aubrey; hello Beca."

"Dad."

Warren continued merrily. "Come, follow me to my office."

"Wait a second." The group stopped, Warren's eyes falling on the mail boy from earlier. "Sorry to bother you, Mr. Mitchell." The boy looked around. "Aubrey Posen?"

The boy went to hand over the envelope, Warren shaking his head in disbelief. "You've got to be kidding me."

Aubrey took the envelope as the boy continued. "This is a restraining order, preventing you from meeting with any representatives of ChumHum."

"No shit." Warren muttered. "I am going back to work; I'll see you guys when you work this out."

Jesse shook his head. "It's her, isn't it?"

"Yep." Aubrey scanned the document. "It's from Winters. God damn it Jesse, this is your fault."

Beca sighed, taking the envelope. "Time to play hard ball."

* * *

"Yes, thank you very much Your Honor." Emily hung up the phone. "The restraining order worked, they can no longer meet up with ChumHum." Chloe's apartment, filled to the brim with lawyers, broke out into yells of happiness – they'd stopped the opposition getting to Warren Mitchell.

Chloe smiled, "where are we on clients?"

Jessica, who'd been fired from Posen, Mitchell and Swanson when Stacie gave her up, looked up from her laptop. "We had twelve, now we have four."

Ashley shook her head. "Three, Tobias Posen is a good friend of John Paisley, he promised to keep his business with them over an impromptu game of golf."

Emily rolled her eyes. "I wonder who arranged that." The doorbell ringing caused them to stop their celebrations. "I've got it." Emily walked towards the door, opening it when she reached it. "Beca?"

"Can I come in?"

Emily nodded, "yeah, sure." She moved aside, allowing Beca in.

* * *

"It's fairer this way." The petite woman proposed. "We both get rid of the restraining orders. Tomorrow at ten o'clock, you go and pitch to Warren Mitchell. At eleven, we'll do the same."

"No." Ashley shook her head. "We go second."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Did Aubrey and Jesse agree to this?" Beca simply nodded. "Fine."

* * *

Chloe looked up at the sound of laughter resounding through the lobby. Emily and Ashley were still going over their final notes, preparing for the meeting that could make or break their firm. "You guys are great, you've done so much for my wife and I. Aubrey, Beca, Jesse; you guys have the best law firm in Chicago."

Jesse held his hand out. "The law is such a bitch."

Warren shook it enthusiastically. "I agree, totally agree." Chloe, Emily and Ashley walked up to him, Warren's demeanour sobering up completely. "I'm ready for you guys now."

Aubrey leaned into Chloe's ear. "Lesson for the future, don't go second."

As they began to ascend the stairs, Emily began their pitch. "Well, sir, Posen, Mitchell and Swanson is a firm without its worker bees." She laughed. "We should know, we're the bees." Warren nodded. "We looked at the way you started ChumHum, Mr. Mitchell, and you rewarded work over show. That's exactly what we plan to do, reward work. Billable hours won't be applied as partner hours unless you actually receive partner hours."

Warren stopped just as they'd reached the second floor. "Guys, thanks, but I'm not going with you."

Chloe frowned, "why?"

Warren stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Tom Hamilton ran an office which brought down people who didn't pay enough tax."

"I'm divorcing him."

Warren shook his head. "Aubrey told me, she said in her unbiased opinion – I quote – ' _being associated with a man like Tom Hamilton, that hurts business. Chloe Beale is the female version of Tom Hamilton; you're throwing yourself into the chances of bribing The State's Attorney_ '." He smiled. "I'll potentially reconsider though."

"Of course Aubrey said that." Chloe muttered as Warren walked away. "Our firm has just gone down the drain."

* * *

"Tom Hamilton is out of jail and straight back as State's Attorney." Jesse walked into Aubrey's office. "We just lost ChumHum."

Aubrey put her celebratory glass of wine down. "Excuse me?"

Jesse opened the video, showing Tom condemning companies who got away with paying low tax – companies like ChumHum. "Tom Hamilton just threatened him with a fucking massive stick."

Aubrey immediately picked up the phone, looking at Beca before dialling. "Go and talk to him!" The petite brunette rolled her eyes and took out her mobile whilst Aubrey dialed the number. "Mr. Mitchell's office? This is Aubrey Posen of Posen, _**Mitchell**_ and Swanson—"

" _He isn't in his office at this time._ "

"Well where is he?"

* * *

Warren shook hands with Chloe. "Thank you for giving me a chance to think this all over, I'm absolutely thrilled to come with your firm." He smiled at the redhead. "Maybe I'll have a chance to meet your husband."

Chloe smiled, her happiness filling her up. "He'd love that."

* * *

Ashley popped open the bottle of champagne, filling up the numerous glasses lined up on Chloe's island. Emily stood on the island. "To Beale, Junk & Associates! We just raised our yearly income to $70 million!" She took a glass. "All we need now is office space." A number of other requests surfaced. "But let's celebrate the little things, with Posen, Mitchell and Swanson on our tails, there will be a lot of bad news too."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Author's Note: This is the last of my daily updates, I hope you enjoy and leave a review!**_

 _ **To the guest who left the really long review about 7 hours ago: if you made an account I'd love to discuss your views on this fic with you!**_

 _ **Also: Tom is a scumbag, please remember that ;)**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights  
**_ _05: The Next Day_

* * *

"You're going to do great." Tom's words were a whisper as his lips attached themselves to the woman beneath him, gently sucking on porcelain skin whilst his hand brushed blonde hair out of the way. "You turned me on so much when you were yelling at Chloe yesterday." He received a hummed reply as his hand began to memorize every dip and bump.

In another apartment in the city, Emily walked into the kitchen, prepared for the second day as a managing partner of Beale, Junk & Associates. "You are so stupid." Emily rolled her eyes at Beca's words, the shorter woman having been Emily's housemate since the latter had passed the BAR Examination. "Emily, you can't just walk around stealing business, it isn't fair to those who earned it in the first place." Emily continued to ignore Beca's words as she grabbed her bag, sliding all the files she'd gathered the previous day into it. "You could've been an equity partner in three years Emily."

Emily headed out the door. "I don't care, I'm happy."

30 minutes later had Chloe stumbling into her living room in her pyjamas. "It is seven a.m. guys, really?" She looked at the room. Tables were being set up, broadband was being inserted and her apartment looked more like a Posen, Mitchell and Swanson office than it did somewhere she slept.

Ashley smiled as she approached Chloe with a mug of coffee. "Morning, I got a lead on office space." The room of lawyers all turned to the divorce attorney. "Wallis & Frey; they just split and are willing to lease their remaining office space."

Chloe looked around. "That's great, not that I don't like you guys here, what's the lease?"

Ashley typed on her phone, "I'll find out." The doorbell sounded, "That's the broadband!"

Chloe nodded, pulling her blazer on over her tank top before she walked to the front door and opened it. Two men walked in, obviously for the broadband, followed by a man who stopped on the threshold. "Unicycle, hello."

He smiled. "Chloe, hey. I just stopped by Posen and co.; an Australian in your office told me to get lost?"

Chloe's eyes widened, of course Fat Amy was finding office space for her secretaries. "I meant to tell you…" She motioned for the man to come in, "we left Posen, Mitchell and Swanson yesterday – I am starting my own firm…" Michael (dubbed Unicycle due to his clown supply business) looked around the apartment. "Not here, this is temporary, they weren't too impressed by our rebellion." She raised an eyebrow. "Shouldn't you be in court?"

Unicycle nodded. "Yeah, but I've mainly dealt with you over this past month… Not Aubrey." He watched the groups of people as they milled around. "I'm confused – can my case come with you?"

* * *

"Your Honor, I find the defence's motion to dismiss childlike."

Mary Elise rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry."

Aubrey ignored the woman, choosing instead to directly address the judge. "She is suggesting there is no way to sue a gun manufacturer."

The judge looked between the two women – he'd seen them argue like this many times.

"I'm suggesting that Congress passed the Lawful Protection of Commerce in Arms Act." Mary Elise folded her arms, looking at Aubrey. "Your turn."

The judge looked at Mary Elise. "A reprehensible law."

The defence attorney shook her head. "I know that that's your opinion, Your Honor, but it is still the law." Mary Elise adjusted her glasses. "And if I may, Your Honor, if you don't feel that you can judge fairly—"

The judge shook his head. "I feel I can judge very fairly, thank you, no matter how destructive your client's product is to America."

Aubrey saw her opportunity, and she began to walk towards the large board where the picture of the gun was displayed. "Your Honor, it is true that the act passed by Congress outlaws suits against gun manufacturers, but there are exceptions." She pointed her pen to the image. "This gun, a Decatur point-38 Lobera, misfired and killed the husband of my client."

"Your Honor, even if she can prove that it was defective, the gun was fired during the commission of a crime. Therefore, the manufacturer cannot be sued."

"My client's husband was the victim of a crime, he was held up and killed at his place of business—by two robbers."

Mary Elise rolled her eyes. "Yes, but the gun was fired during a criminal act."

"Yes, _**his**_ gun, the victim's gun, not the robber's."

"Yes, but it was fired when the robbers slapped it out of his hands. Therefore, he was not in possession of it, thus, it was fired during a criminal act."

Both women watched as a bailiff handed the judge a selection of paperwork. "Yes, thank you." He flipped through the paper. "I have to ask that both attorneys come with me to Chambers – there's an administrative issue we need to address."

Mary Elise followed Aubrey to the Judge's Chambers, "$50,000."

"$5 million."

"Ladies." The judge opened the door to his chambers, the three people inside standing up. "Everyone, take a seat." Aubrey looked at Chloe and Emily, closing her eyes and taking a breath. "Let's just take a breath before we start on this."

Mary Elise looked around. "Start in with… what exactly?" She moved towards the seat beside the one Aubrey had already occupied.

The judge took his jacket off, putting it over the back of his chair as he sat down. "Everybody, just take a long, deep breath." He looked at Unicycle. "I have received a request for change of representation from you, Michael, is that true?"

"Yes."

Aubrey looked at Chloe and Emily. "Your Honor, my firm recently fired these attorneys – we also put a restraining order in place so they couldn't poach anymore of our clients."

Emily cleared her throat. "We were not poaching."

"Well what else do you want me to call it?" Mary Elise smiled to herself as they continued quarreling. "You stole Thief and ChumHum."

The judge held his hands out. "Please, unclench your fists." He pointed at Emily, who had her fists balled in her lap. "Look at your fist, squash it. I work with juveniles—squash your fist." All four lawyers put a hand over their fists, 'squashing' them. He looked back at Aubrey. "You have something to say?"

"I'm personally offended; I've been developing this case for two years."

Emily scoffed. "No you haven't, Ashley and I worked on it and then Chloe helped when you hired her." She held out a selection of paper. "These are Posen, Mitchell and Swanson bills – segregating billable hours based on associate and partner."

"That's not an effective way to see work product."

Emily's mouth dropped open. "Not an effective way, Aubrey? What's more effective than this?"

"Squash your fists!" The judge looked at Unicycle. "It is unorthodox to change representation on the first day of trial – especially when Aubrey's already commencing. So I'm going to ask you—" He pointed at Aubrey. "Aubrey," his finger then went to Chloe and Emily. "Or Chloe and Emily. Choose now and forever hold your peace."

"Chloe and Emily."

Aubrey stood up as Chloe began her requests. "Your Honor, we request that all files at Posen, Mitchell and Swanson are sent to our law firm."

"What law firm? You're working out of your apartment, Chloe."

Emily went to argue, Chloe silencing her with a look. "Sir, the files don't belong to Posen, Mitchell and Swanson, they belong to our client."

The judge nodded. "I agree." Aubrey began walking to the door. "Aubrey when can they expect delivery?"

"Go to hell." Aubrey slammed the door behind her.

Emily leaned back. "You'll be there first."

* * *

Jesse and Beca looked up from the coffee table when Aubrey walked into their private staff room. "How'd it go?"

Aubrey dropped her bag on the floor. "They took it!"

Jesse raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

"Who do you think, Jesse?" The man stood up, beginning to walk towards the door. "Where are you going?"

Jesse straightened out his jacket sleeves as he opened the door. "To get it back."

* * *

Emily and Chloe walked back into the latter's apartment, squeezing into the living room. "We got it!" The attorneys began clapping at the brunette's words. "What was the lease on those offices?"

Ashley shook her head. "They wanted to merge: share the clients, the partners, office space." Emily nodded and went to write up notes. "We just got out from under Posen, Mitchell and Swanson, do we want that again?"

The door opened, several men carrying filing boxes walking into the apartment. "Files for Beale, Junk & Associates." They put the boxes down in the living room and proceeded to leave again.

"Hell yes!" Emily exclaimed as she opened the top box. "I underestimated them."

Ashley lifted a toy rat out from the box. "Or overestimated them."

Chloe took a piece of paper from the box, " _To Beale/Junk, we are doing our best to process your request. And in the meantime, please accept the contents of your desks as a goodwill gesture. Jesse Swanson, Managing Partner._ "

Jessica folded her arms. "I can't believe they're endangering their client like this."

Chloe shook her head. "Unicycle isn't their client anymore; they don't give a damn." She looked at Emily, the younger woman stroking a toy rat. "Come on, Jessica you come too."

Jessica grabbed her coat, following Chloe out of the apartment. "You're taking them to court?"

Chloe shook her head. "They'll be expecting that." She continued walking to the elevator.

* * *

"Mr. Swanson, this came for you." An assistant handed Jesse the envelope, causing Beca and Aubrey to move closer to him.

Jesse opened the envelope. "They subpoenaed you?" Beca asked, Jesse only shaking his head. "Then what?"

Aubrey took the paper. "They want their files."

Fat Amy joined the trio. "They're taking us to court for them?"

Jesse sat down at his desk, chuckling to himself. "No, The ACDB." Fat Amy looked at the partners, confused. "The Attorney Compliance and Disciplinary Board."

Fat Amy shook her head. "That's the board that—"

"That's the board that suspended Jesse a few years back." Beca snorted. "Chloe does have a sense of humor; I'll give her that."

* * *

Chloe and Emily whispered between them as Mary Elise addressed the judge. "Thank you, Your Honor. I know that the plaintiff's team is somewhat in flux, so if they would like me to summarize my motion again—"

Chloe stood up, "No, Mary, we read the court transcripts, and we ask Your Honor to deny her motion to dismiss." She glanced at Emily's pad of paper.

The Judge shook his head. "You are rejecting the Protection of Arms Act?"

Emily stood up too. "No, Your Honor, it is the law of the land."

Mary Elise looked at the duo. "Your Honor, I know that your sympathies tend against my client."

"Mary, stop playing me."

Emily had to suppress a snort as Mary Elise looked lost for words. "Sorry, I'm not, I'm speaking from my heart. I, myself, have never fired a gun in my life, but what matters to me is justice."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Good for you."

The Judge turned his attention back to Emily and Chloe, the duo trying to find ways around The Protection of Arms Act. "The difficulty I'm having, Chloe, and, um Emily." He ran a hand through his hair. "Is that Mary is right on the law. If the gun is fired during the commission of a crime—"

Chloe jumped in, taking her chance. "Yes, Your Honor, but we don't know if it did go off during the commission of a crime." The judge's eyebrows furrowed in thought, and he motioned for her to continue. "They may have been holding up a car wash, they're currently being _**accused**_ of holding up a car wash." He nodded. "One is dead, and the other is currently on trial in the Cook County criminal court, and no determination has been made on his guilt or innocence."

The Judge smiled to himself. "Mary? Any thoughts?"

Mary Elise began to stumble over her words. "Your Honor, he's being prosecuted."

Chloe nodded, "Yes, and if he is found 'not guilty,' then it is up to His Honor to decide whether there was indeed a crime."

"That is exactly right, we will wait for the determination from the criminal court." Chloe subtly high fived Emily. "In the meantime, we will address the question of the product's defect."

They began collecting up their paper, Emily looking at Chloe. "I'll get the criminal court; you go to the Disciplinary Board." The redhead nodded at her partner's words, the duo splitting up to head in their separate ways.

* * *

Chloe walked into the room, seeing Aubrey, Beca and Jesse already seated at the table alongside the Chairman of the board. She had her notes, but facing her ex-friends from college made a pang of guilt surface in her gut. She shouldn't be guilty, she reassured herself, but just seeing people she shared everything with looking so upset and _hurt_ , it made her want to take everything back.

"Hello everyone." Chloe looked opposite to her, where Jesse was sitting smugly. "Welcome to the Attorney's Compliance and Disciplinary Board." The Chairman looked between the two sides of the table. "Where we handle disputes between lawyers in a collegial manner." The tension between the group of four caused the Chairman to lean back in his chair. "Welcome back, Jesse, I hope this visit to our sanctum will prove more… fruitful."

Jesse looked at the Chairman. "Can we ask Ms. Beale why she's brought us to you, and not taken us to court on a subpoena?"

The Chairman nodded, "we can. Ms. Beale?"

Chloe looked at the three, Fat Amy sitting behind them. "Mr. Swanson has already shown his true stripes to this board," Jesse laughed, "and we thought you would be best to discern a pattern of abuse here."

"Oh go to hell." Fat Amy piped up from the back of the room. "She's clearly using Jesse's disbarment—"

She was cut off by the Chairman, who glared at her. "Ma'am, we haven't called on you yet."

Aubrey raised an eyebrow. "Mrs. Hamilton is clearly using this board's run ins with my partner to get you to discriminate against our firm." She looked at Chloe. "Congrats on your husband's release from jail, that was a convenient time for him to bring up taxes."

Jesse leaned forward. "We would only ask that this complaint be quashed until the court's jurisdiction is satisfied."

Chloe ignored him. "We are in active litigation at this moment, Mr. Chairman."

Aubrey's jaw clenched. "After you poached my client in court."

"No, we did not approach the client." Four pairs of eyes rolled. "Unicycle approached us because he was disappointed with your representation." Chloe took the silence as a sign she could continue. "Mr. Chairman, we need all these case files so that we can properly represent the client's interests, and Mr. Swanson, Ms. Posen and Ms. Mitchell are actively delaying the delivery of these files in an attempt to win the client back."

The Chairman looked back to Jesse. "Is this true, Swanson?"

Jesse shook his head. "We are carefully culling our records for these files."

Chloe folded her arms. "There's no need to cull, this isn't the '70s." She looked back to the Chairman, placing an envelope onto the table. "Posen/Mitchell's IT department keeps a careful, ongoing record of all its cases. All you have to do is type in this code and push 'return'."

Jesse scoffed. "I don't rate now?"

"Posen, Mitchell **and** Swanson."

The Chairman put his glasses on, looking at the code. "How do you know this?"

Chloe looked at her ex-friends. "I worked there."

The Chairman put the piece of paper down in front of Jesse, taking his glasses off. "Jesse you were suspended because of this kind of nonsense. Get her the files, or be sanctioned."

* * *

A few hours later, after a stop for a needed coffee, Chloe opened the door to her apartment, frowning when the door hit a box. "They sent the files?" Emily nodded. "That's great!"

Jessica handed Chloe a wad of papers. "They redacted them." Jessica held up a note that was in the top box. "Listen: ' _Work product of Posen, Mitchell and Swanson employees is strictly bound to the offices of Posen, Mitchell and Swanson. Please accept our apologies along with a selection of pens – we heard you needed them. Aubrey Posen, Managing Partner'_."

Chloe leaned against the door. "Oh my God."

Ashley shrugged. "They're toying with you." Chloe sighed; they'd have to continue their fight in the morning.

* * *

"They're called junk guns, that's the term that law enforcement uses for cheaply made handguns." Chloe approached the witness stand, where their ballistics expert was sitting. "You see a lot of them, because they're easy to buy."

"Did you examine the Lobera point-38 that killed Tim Sorrentino?" Chloe glanced at the judge, all they needed to do was give him one good point – he wanted to rule in their favour.

The ballistics expert nodded. "Yes. I compared it to five separate Lobera handguns that I bought - from five different stores."

Chloe nodded. "Why?"

"To ensure that my test sample was random."

Chloe smiled. "And what did you find?"

"The trigger mechanism had a faulty spring, and the resistance was 75% less than normal."

Chloe looked around, noticing Fat Amy and Beca sitting in the back of the gallery. "So with this kind of hair trigger, could a gun discharge if it hit the ground?"

"I'd be surprised if it didn't."

Chloe moved back to her seat and sat down. "Thank you, Mr. McVeigh." She quickly looked over her shoulder, seeing Fat Amy and Beca discussing things. The things in question were highly likely to be the documents they'd kept from Beale, Junk & Associates.

Mary Elise stood up, and Chloe sighed knowing that the other attorney was most definitely going to create and innocence façade in order to win over the judge on a case she was losing. "Um." She walked right up to the witness stand. "I don't know much about guns, but, um, my daddy does hunt a little bit, and he told me that there are other factors that can contribute to a firearm's performance. Weather's one of these, right?"

Chloe sighed quietly. "Certainly."

"Were you aware that on June 18, the day Mr. Sorrentino died, that Chicago was experiencing a heat wave and the temperature was 98 degrees?" Mary Elise smiled. "Also, moisture. It was a car wash; could the moisture level affect the gun?"

"Potentially."

Mary Elise looked smug as she turned back to the table. "So if I kept a gun locked in a drawer in a damp environment in 98-degree heat, could that cause a hair trigger?"

"It could."

* * *

Chloe and Emily both sat down at the table Aubrey and Jesse were already seated at. Chloe dropped a selection of the papers on the table as the Chairman sat down. "Nice to see we're back here already – with a new face?"

Emily smiled. "Emily Junk."

The Chairman nodded and looked to the opposite side of the table. "No Ms. Mitchell?"

"She's in a deposition." Aubrey supplied.

"Right." The Chairman smiled at Emily. "What seems to be the problem, Ms. Junk?"

Emily looked at the two smirking attorneys across from them as she flicked through one of the wads of paper. "This is what Ms. Posen has sent us." She handed the selection of papers over to the Chairman, not failing to notice Aubrey and Jesse suppressing chuckles.

"Um, Aubrey." He held up the paper, flipping through it. He looked at the duo in disbelief. "Aubrey, really?" He dropped the papers. "Was this really necessary?"

Aubrey folded her arms. "That is everything we are legally required to send them, Lionel."

Chloe shook her head. "They're trying to bleed us out of the case."

Jesse pressed his finger against the table. "That is not true." He picked up the paper. "Beale, Junk, whatever is legally entitled to client files – we don't dispute that." He threw the paper back across the table. "They are not legally entitled to work product."

The Chairman put his hand over a section of the paper. "And these redactions are your work product?"

"Yes." Aubrey defended. "Our personal notes, our observations, legal stratagems."

Emily shook her head. "Not _**your**_ legal stratagems, _**our**_ legal stratagems from when—"

"When you were Posen, Mitchell and Swanson employees, Ms. Junk." Jesse pointed across the table, disdain clear in his voice. "In other words: _**our**_ work product."

Chloe looked at the two managing partners. "We'd like to call a witness to prove this is not the case." The Chairman nodded, "Stacie, please?" The leggy brunette seated herself in one of the chairs at the table, smiling at Aubrey and Jesse.

Chloe opened her pad, looking at the questions she'd written out beforehand. "Miss Conrad, you conducted investigative work on Michael Sorrentino's suit against Decatur Firearms?" Stacie nodded - Yes. "What questions did you ask them?"

Stacie glanced at her bosses. "I was trying to determine if anyone had prior knowledge. Knowledge of the flaws in the Lobera point-38."

"What did you conclude?"

Jesse tapped his pen against the table. "Objection, she's fishing for content for the lawsuit."

The Chairman nodded in agreement. "Keep it on point, Beale."

Chloe smiled an apology. "Did you take notes during these interviews?"

"I did."

"What did you do with these notes?" Chloe probed.

Stacie shrugged. "I shared them with Aubrey, outside of work, and then I put them away in the files."

Emily smiled, directing her attention to the Chairman. "Lionel, clearly these notes are part of the client files, but they have been redacted."

Aubrey held her hand up, silencing Emily. "Just a few questions… Stacie, did you write anything else in your notes besides the employees' answers?"

Stacie nodded, looking at the table. "I did: comments and observations."

"Such as?"

Stacie looked down at her notebook. "I wanted to look into one of the lab employees I suspected was an alcoholic."

"So you didn't just record objective facts, you memorialized subjective opinion, follow-ups, and strategies."

"Yes."

The door to the room opened, exposing the blonde who slipped into the room. The Chairman looked up from his notes. "Uh, hello? Hello? May I help you?"

Jessica smiled as she put a file on the table in front of Chloe. "Hi. Uh, I'm Jessica, the Beale/Junk investigator." She looked at Stacie. "Hello."

Chloe looked at the invoice Jessica had brought in. "I just have a quick follow-up." The Chairman nodded, giving his permission to continue. "Miss Conrad, what is this?"

Stacie looked over the document. "It's, um, it's an invoice to Michael Sorrentino; it's for my services."

Chloe nodded. "Your investigative services in connection with the Decatur Firearms case?" Stacie nodded her agreement. "But this is not a Posen/Mitchell/Swanson invoice, this has been issued by you personally." Both Aubrey and Jesse sat up straighter in their chairs. "Is that because you are an independent contractor engaged by Posen/Swanson/Mitchell, and technically not an employee of the firm?"

Stacie nodded. "That is correct."

Chloe smiled. "Mr. Chairman, this invoice proves that Stacie Conrad was engaged directly by the client, and therefore her notes are our client property." She looked at Aubrey and Jesse. "That's your cue to storm out."

* * *

Ashley opened the box. "I don't see any rats." Chloe picked up files from the box. "No redactions!" The apartment's cheers were beginning to bug her neighbors, Chloe noted, she'd have to bring that up with Emily.

Emily approached Chloe, whispering in her ear. "The accused of the murder just took a plea. Ash, want to talk with me and Chloe in the kitchen." Chloe and Ashley both followed Emily into the kitchen. "That plea just gave Mary Elise her criminal act."

Ashley continued drinking her mug of coffee. "Then we need to try another PLCAA exception."

Chloe nodded, "I agree, but which one?" A brief silence fell over the women as they attempted to find another motion. "What about breach of warranty? It's a stretch, I know."

Emily sighed. "A big one."

Ashley looked between the managing partners. "McVeigh gave us the defect; we need to demonstrate how it violated the warranty."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "And no one's ever tried this before?"

Chloe shrugged. "No one's ever had Judge Davies." Emily still looked confused. "Look, he wants to rule for us, we just need to give him something."

Emily nodded. "Okay, warranty violation."

Ashley cleared her throat. "Only problem?" Chloe and Emily turned their attention back to the other brunette. "Posen, Mitchell and Swanson has the manufacturer's warranty documents."

Chloe groaned. "Of course they do."

* * *

Chloe sighed as she looked across the table at Beca and Aubrey. It was ridiculous, really, why wouldn't they just give the files to them? The Chairman of the ACDB looked back and forth from Chloe and Emily to Beca and Aubrey. "Beale/Junk is in the unfortunate position of coming to you hat in hand asking for relevant documents piecemeal. As of today, that ends." The Chairman's voice was a lot sterner than previous visits, his patience with the trio drawing thin.

Chloe ran a hand through her hair. "Mr. Chairman, we ask for sanctions."

The greying man nodded in agreement. "And the chair agrees." He looked at Aubrey and Beca. "Every day that files are kept from Beale/Junk, a fine of $20,000 will be applied."

When Aubrey went to argue, Beca quickly grabbed the blonde's arm. "That won't be necessary—we'll hand it over immediately." Chloe's eyes widened—was it that easy? Beca quickly held her hands up. "Once we're properly compensated for our time and effort."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Your what?"

Beca took the piece of paper out of her folder. "Well, here's a copy of our standard retainer agreement. Mr. Sorrentino hired us on a contingency basis, and that means we'd only get paid if he won." Chloe glanced at Emily, this wasn't good. "Since we're no longer the attorneys of record, we're entitled to compensation for our work product to date. At standard rates, that comes to $145,000."

Chloe shook her head. "We're on a contingency basis, and our client doesn't have that kind of money."

Aubrey shrugged, smiling sweetly at the two traitors. "Well, once someone signs a check for the 145 thousand dollars, you'll get your files."

* * *

Mary Elise looked at the Judge. "Objection! Your Honor has already ruled. The accused, Mr. Rolfe, was sentenced yesterday to involuntary manslaughter." She looked at Chloe, adding a layer of patronization to her next words. " _ **A crime**_." Chloe rolled her eyes. "Thus, the plaintiff cannot sue, as the gun was fired during a criminal act."

Chloe stood up too, smiling at Mary Elise. "Which is why we would like to amend our suit from product liability to breach of warranty."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Beale is just obviously playing a game of musical PLCAA exceptions." Mary Elise smiled.

Chloe shook her head. "Your Honor, we have enough evidence to demonstrate—"

The judge looked at a piece of paper he'd been handed. "I'm sorry, I'm going to have to stop you right there, Ms. Beale, you've been replaced as plaintiff's counsel."

Chloe's eyes went wide in shock. _What?_ "I've been? Michael?" Chloe asked as Unicycle walked into the courtroom behind Aubrey.

Unicycle shook his head. "They have all the files, Chloe. I just want to win, that's all, I'm sorry."

Aubrey placed her pad on the table as Chloe walked through the gate separating the gallery off. "Permission to be seated, Your Honor?"

"Permission granted." Chloe sighed. "Well, here we are, exactly where we were two days ago."

Chloe shook her head. "Congratulations Aubrey."

"Chloe, you don't want you to forget this." Chloe snatched the legal pad from Aubrey's hand before she began walking out of the courtroom. "Have a nice day." Chloe stopped just before the doors, hearing Aubrey's words. "Your Honor, I would like to amend the suit from product liability to breach of warranty."

* * *

Beca looked up from her dinner when Aubrey and Jesse walked back into the small woman's office. "We're going to rip through our opponents." Beca pulled her headphone out. "No votes, just decide and go… And it won't be polite anymore. Anyone in our way, we kick their ass, fire them or buy them out." She collected together letters from clients who were moving to Beale, Junk & Associates. "Can you handle that?"

"I'm pissed at the world." Aubrey voiced as she dropped into Beca's couch.

Jesse grabbed a piece of naan bread from Beca's selection of Indian food. "I dropped to 51 on the most eligible bachelors of Chicago list."

Beca nodded. "Good, I heard Emily likes tax attorneys."

* * *

Ashley shook her head. "I don't think we should get in business with these people." Several mumbled agreements followed. "We just got out from under all of this."

Jessica sighed. "We look like idiots to them."

Emily folded her arms, taking her stance as one of the tallest in the room. "Screw them, they're tax attorneys."

Jessica raised an eyebrow. "They're tax attorneys who are offering us office space."

Chloe held her hands up, silencing the room. "Okay, I'm going to speak for myself." She stood on her coffee table. "I was impressed with their offer; Wallis & Frey will not touch the first three years of ChumHum money." A few murmurs of ' _I guess_ ' ran out through the room of thirty-seven. "That is all ours. That's a good deal."

Emily shrugged. "Yes, but we'll share voting rights, our ten partners with their ten partners. Do we really want that?"

Chloe held her hands over her face for a moment. "We want to do something." She walked back over to Emily. "Look, we need to get out of here." That was one point they all agreed on. "This isn't just about me."

Ashley piped up from the corner. "Look, Chloe, if this is just about your apartment—"

"No!" Chloe interrupted. "We are not a real firm until we have real offices. We can't meet with clients here; we can't meet with Warren Mitchell here." Several nods moved through the room. "And Posen, Mitchell and Swanson's gaining initiative while we're sitting around squabbling."

"Yeah, but we shouldn't commit to Wallis & Frey for their office space." Emily began. "Or we'll end up top-heavy like Posen, Mitchell and Swanson, which is exactly why we left them."

Jessica groaned, whistling in order to shit everyone up. "Okay, you know what? We can debate this till we're blue in the face." She stood on the chair she was previously seated on. "We're all partners here, let's just take a vote."

Emily nodded. "Okay? All those in favor for joining Wallis & Frey, raise your hands."

Jessica pointed to where Ashley was talking with Wallis & Frey. "Uh yeah, hold on." When Ashley hung up the phone, Jessica probed for more. "What's going on?"

"They've been bought out."

Chloe's eyes widened. "Just now? By who?"

* * *

Tom smirked as he continued to pull the phone away from his partner. "I'm so glad you came on board." She swatted him away once again. "We need tax attorneys, and we have the infrastructure. Yes, Beale/Junk is a joke, they'll be out of business in a month."

"You're so sexy when you kick ass." He whispered into her collar bone.

"You get three partners." She bit her lip, trying to ignore him as she finished her call. "Right, thanks." She hung up the phone, placing it on the bedside table. "I'm still working."

Tom continued to hover over her. "Let's celebrate your acquisition, baby." His eyes trailed down her body, gaze resting where the duvet lay over her mid section. "Then we can talk about ChumHum."


	6. Chapter 6

**_Author's Note: HAPPY NEW YEARS!_**

 ** _Also: congrats to Anna Camp and Skylar Astin for getting engaged!_**

* * *

 ** _Constitutional Rights  
_** _06: The Next Week_

* * *

The usual morning rush felt off, with many clients still phoning the firm in order to talk with Chloe or Emily. "Posen, Mitchell and Swanson." As soon as the receptionist answered the call, she knew there would be a high possibility it would be for one of the traitors. "I'm sorry, who would you like?" She paused. "Chloe Beale..." She looked at the other receptionist, taking off her headset. "Hold on, please, I'll be right back."

"Yes! It's excellent news, we're representing the State's Attorney in his divorce." Beca glanced towards the corridor beside the conference room. "But our first order of business will be this malpractice suit." The receptionist timidly walked into the room. "One second."

Beca walked over to the receptionist, who spoke in a whisper. "You wanted me to tell you when any clients called for Chloe or Emily."

Beca nodded, those had been her instructions. "Who is it?"

"Jeffrey Grant… Of Grant Real Estate." She looked around at the partners. "Mid-level client, his dad was arrested two weeks ago for assault and Chloe handled it."

Beca nodded. "We don't want to lose them to Chloe's firm, forward him to my office." She looked at her partners. "You two continue with this." She walked swiftly into her office, resting her converse clad feet on the desk. "Hello, Jeffrey, I'm Beca Mitchell. I trust your dad is well?"

"Uh, he's—he's good, he's—he's at home." The college student sounded nervous. "Who is this?"

Beca smiled. "Beca Mitchell, Chloe's former boss—you see, Chloe no longer works at this firm." A sigh floated through the speaker. "But can you tell me your issue? I'd love to see what I can do."

Jeffrey shook his head, sighing to himself. "I don't know, something's weird here. I got pulled over for I guess speeding, and they say I've been drinking, but I haven't." He looked around the police station. "Do you have Chloe's number?"

Beca shook her head, as if Jeffery could actually see her. "I don't, actually." She took her feet off the table, finding a post-it note. "Where are you now?"

"It's the 29th District." Beca jotted this down, sticking the post-it to her iPhone. "I've been waiting for a Breathalyzer, but it's been, like, an hour."

Fat Amy's arguing could be heard clearly from the open door of the conference room. "I bring in more capital into this firm—"

Beca shook her head at her colleagues' antics. "Why don't I come on down there and see what I can do?"

Aubrey ran a hand over her forehead—they'd only been in this meeting twenty minutes. "Both of you, please!"

Fat Amy folded her arms, glaring down at one of the new partners they'd acquired through the buying out of Wallis & Frey. "Of course you don't have malpractice suits in tax law. Who gives a damn about tax law?"

Jesse raised his voice as Beca walked back in to retrieve her jacket. "Okay, stop it!" Every single squabbling partner shut up. "Listen to me, all of you. There are no more fights at this firm, no more internal squabbles." He directed his pointed gaze to the head of family law. "We work together."

Beca nodded her agreement, filling the silence. "Now, this malpractice suit is an irritant, but it can't slow us down unless we let it slow us down, do you understand? Move together, act together, or leave." She shrugged her jacket on. "Aubrey, Jesse, you both take it."

Aubrey raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "Where are you going?"

Beca was already out of the conference room. "Out to stop a client from leaving."

Aubrey began reading through the paperwork they'd been sent by their malpractice insurer. "So, insurance has reviewed the $6 million lawsuit against us and denied coverage due to 'attorney recklessness'."

The Australian shook her head. "I wasn't reckless." Jesse rolled his eyes. "It was a failed adoption, emotions run high in adoptions."

Jesse looked at Fat Amy. "This was the Gopniks?"

"Yeah, they adopted a two-month-old girl, but the genetic parents fought to get her back." She shrugged, focusing on her game of candy crush. "I told them that it was unlikely we would win."

"Who was the associate supervisor?" Aubrey questioned, ignoring many smaller arguments going on in the room.

Fat Amy shrugged. "I don't know, I was on the Zander divorce, I put it into the rotation."

Jesse fell into a chair, "Well, the depositions start tomorrow, and we have to prep someone." He grabbed a bottle of water from the side. "So which associate signed off on it?"

Fat Amy flipped through the lawsuit, groaning when she found the name. "Wanna guess?" A collective groan ran out from the partners – great.

* * *

Emily looked across the kitchen island to Chloe. "We're in financial trouble."

"We didn't get our bonuses." Ashley piped up.

Everyone turned to look at the divorce attorney. "Oh, come on, Ashley, would you stop with the bonus talk?" Jessica playfully punched the other woman in the arm. "What if we lower our sights on office space? Look further south."

Emily shook her head. "The problem is the length of the lease; we don't want to get trapped in someplace too downscale."

"And ChumHum?" Chloe probed, trying to see if there was any way they could find somewhere to host their firm, and fast.

"We won't see their retainer money for another 45 days." Emily clarified, turning around to place her cup into the sink. "We won't see it at all if they realize what a shoestring we're running."

"Okay, look, we all knew this would be hard, every new firm has their struggles." Chloe sighed at Jessica's words, the investigator did have a point when it came to financials. "The original Posen, Mitchell and Swanson started in an airport hotel room, so hold it together." The blonde sat on the island. "What we're going through now will make our firm stronger."

Chloe opened the door when she heard the doorbell ring. In the hallway was the courtroom mail boy, holding out another envelop. "Chloe Beale?"

Chloe sighed, running a hand over her forehead. "Subpoena or restraining order?"

The mail boy handed the envelope over, smiling slightly. "Subpoena." He motioned to the apartment building's corridor. "You guys should get an office, it's hard to find you."

Chloe shut the door on him. "We'll get right on that."

Emily was quickly by her side, ready to fight back. "Posen, Mitchell and Swanson? Are we being sued?" Chloe could practically see the gears turning in the young lawyer's head. Emily was excitable, that was a fact. "Because I'm thinking we should countersue, stop playing defense."

Chloe read over the piece of paper, smirking to herself. "No, they're being sued."

Emily's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What? Then why are you being served?"

Chloe shook her head, rolling her eyes. "I'm a witness."

* * *

"You must be Jeffrey?" Beca sat down beside the college student, "I'm sorry I'm late." She looked at the textbook in his lap. "You doing some homework?"

Jeffrey looked up from the book. "Italian."

Beca nodded, glancing around the station. "Have they tested you yet?" Jeffrey shook his head—no.

He shut his book, leaving it on his lap. "I saw the patrolman go by here a minute ago." Beca followed his gaze to the officer at the back of the station. "There he is."

Beca went to stand up. "Now, you just sit tight." She took a few steps forward, stopping when she saw Benji talking with the officer. "Jeffrey, what did the patrolman say when he stopped you? What did he say?"

"He said he smelled alcohol on my breath." Jeffery shrugged. "But he saw I had cold medicine, he said that must be it." He looked at Beca. "Why?"

"Nothing, don't worry." She pointed towards Benji. "There's an ASA over there talking with him."

Jeffrey shrugged. "Yeah, she was in the patrol car."

Beca paused, raising an eyebrow at the new information. "She was in the patrol car?" Jeffrey nodded, the college student muttering a sentence in Italian under his breath. "And you haven't gotten a Breathalyzer yet?"

Jeffrey shook his head, "No." He stopped halfway through placing his textbooks in is bag. "And they took a cotton swab from inside my mouth."

Beca scowled. "Why?"

"They didn't say, should I be worried?"

"Not yet." Beca swipes through her messages, quickly typing out a text to Aubrey. "Have you had any other brushes with the law, Jeffrey?"

"I had some issues when I was in high school." The shrug is self conscious, "I got pulled over on another DUI, but I would never drink and drive again."

Beca nodded, most people made mistakes in high school, she understood it. "Okay, don't worry. I'll be right back." She stood up, walking towards Benji, the man still talking to the patrol officer. "Benji, what's going on here?"

Benji raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Beca rolled her eyes. "What I mean is, why is an ASA out stopping a college student on a phony DUI?" She folded her arms, her small stature making Benji smirk.

"I don't know why you're calling it phony." Benji shrugged, picking up a file from the table beside him.

Beca looked up at him, pulling her leather jacket around her tighter. "Well, an hour after the pull-over, and still no Breathalyzer, no blood test? Every time he pees, your case is literally going down the toilet." Benji shrugged as Beca continued. "But you swabbed for DNA, which is irrelevant to sobriety."

"We were just trying to be diligent, Beca."

Beca shook her head. "Ah." Benji shrugged as Beca folded her arms, the petite brunette scarier than she seemed at first glance. "That's what it's called?" Benji only nodded. "Well, I'm taking my client home, okay? And I want you to discard that DNA." She turned back to Jeffrey. "Have a good day."

Just as Beca was nearing Jeffrey, Benji folded his arms. "Actually, no. Your client is under arrest for driving under the influence, and given his previous arrests, we are within our rights to collect his DNA."

Beca's anger began bubbling in the pit of her stomach, the same way it did when Chloe ran off. "You're opening yourself up to a suit."

"The first phrase I breathe in the morning, 'I'm opening myself up to a suit'."

Beca sat back on the bench beside Jeffrey, "Okay, they've arrested you, but clearly, they're after something else."

Jeffrey's eyes widened. "They arrested me? Why?"

"I don't know," Beca took her phone out, as well as a small device, "but I need you to breathe into this."

* * *

"Your Honor, the blood alcohol limit for inebriation in Illinois is 0.08%." Beca held her phone up for the judge. "According to this pocket Breathalyzer, my client's blood alcohol concentration was 0.00001."

Judge Politi looked towards Benji, "That's a whole lot of zeroes, Mr. ASA." Beca smirked in Benji's direction. "Sounds to me like you pulled over the wrong kid."

Benji buttoned up the first button of his suit. "My apologies, Your Honor, The State is prepared to dismiss the charge." Jeffrey looked up from where he was looking at the defence table. "It was our mistake, we apologize to Mr. Grant."

Beca looked at Jeffrey before she turned back to the judge. "If the State is dropping the arrest, we ask that the DNA swab collected from my client be destroyed, too."

Benji smiled sheepishly. "We'd love to, Your Honor, but we're re-arresting Mr. Grant on a murder charge."

Jeffrey's eyes widened. "What?"

Benji took a folder off the table before he headed over to the judge. "We're arresting Mr. Grant for the murder of Dani Littlejohn, a college student who was found outside her dorm on the Chicago Poly Tech campus last August with blunt trauma to her skull." He placed the folder atop the judge's stand, Beca taking a step closer to the stand.

"That's quite a step up from a DUI, Ms. Mitchell."

Benji allowed the judge to look through the file. "And as you can see from this report, Miss Littlejohn struggled with her killer, whose DNA was found under her fingernails."

"Your Honor!"

Judge Politi ignored Beca's objection. "Hold on, Counselor." He turned the file around and slid it towards Beca. "Here, take a look at this."

Beca began flipping through the various files as Benji continued to explain the case. "We had no match for this DNA evidence until two months ago, when his father was arrested for assault." Beca winced at one of the photos of the victim, her eyes full of nothing but darkness. "As part of the father's standard processing, his DNA was taken and entered into the statewide database, where we got a hit A familial match for Dani Littlejohn's killer. A familial match."

Judge Politi nodded his understanding. "So the killer could be anybody in that kid's family."

"Yes, any male in his family. But Jeffrey Grant is the only one at the same school as Miss Littlejohn."

Beca shut the file and began to object. "Your Honor, this-this stinks." Benji looked towards the defence attorney. "This phony DUI charge was used as an excuse to-"

"Counselor, this is way past phony DUI's at this point I will deny the writ of habeas corpus, and allow the state's attorney their-"

Beca shook her head. "Is the ASA charging now, Your Honor?"

Benji shrugged. "No, not until we get a match on the DNA."

"Then it's illegal for them to collect and test Jeffrey's DNA." Beca looked at Benji. "And according to Illinois law, they can only do that upon charges."

"Not according to the Supreme Court. In Maryland v. King..." Beca could hardly believe how the simple DUI case had escalated into even more. "Which is a general rule."

Beca refused to back down, her years of cases and battles causing her more determined side to begin to battle too. "The specific law in this state, Your Honor, is very, _**very**_ clear about that."

"Okay, okay, hold on." Both Benji and Beca shut up, two pairs of eyes looking straight at Judge Politi. If you two want to debate like law students, go do it somewhere else. For now, the kid stays in custody, and if you want to test his DNA, charge him."

Two bailiffs grabbed Jeffrey, Beca looking at the innocent college student with worried eyes. "I'll call your parents."

"When can I get out?"

"48 hours, max, hang tight."

* * *

Chloe wandered through the corridors of Posen, Mitchell and Swanson. The receptionist had practically had a heart attack at the sight of the redhead, immediately rushing off to find one of the managing partners. She was continuously wandering around, many associates staring at her with hatred as she made her way onto the 27th floor. "What the hell are you doing here?" Chloe turned around at the words, shrugging indifferently at the sight of Aubrey.

"Answering my subpoena." She held up the envelope, pasting a wide smile onto her face.

Aubrey tucked her fringe behind her ear, scowling at Chloe. "In reception; that's where people who don't work here wait."

"You moved someone into my office pretty quick." Chloe mentioned, nodding towards the junior associate scrambling around the office which was once hers.

"Yes, after I cleaned the carpets of brimstone."

Chloe frowned, tilting her head to the side. "I've hurt you, haven't I?"

"Ms. Beale." Chloe looked at the man who'd recently stopped behind Aubrey.

Chloe nodded in acknowledgment. "Hello, Mr. Swanson."

Aubrey turned around, walking up the stairs towards the 28th floor. Chloe walked alongside, Jesse, the man not offering so much as a side glance. As they walked into the main conference room, Chloe sat down where an opposition attorney would usually sit - it was rather strange to be on the opposite side of the table for the first time in a month and a half. "So you're being sued again." She reached forward to get the files, which were promptly pulled away from her by perfectly manicured nails. "I'm not sure how I can help you if I can't-"

"It's the Gopnik adoption." Jesse supplied simply.

"Myra Gopnik?"

"Yes." Aubrey replied bluntly. When Chloe reached for the file once again, the blonde felt the need to continue. "They lost her to the genetic parents." Chloe nodded, she could understand that. "They're suing us for $6 million, saying that we botched the adoption." Chloe scoffed. "You didn't find out that the father was one-eighth Chippewa, so Indian tribal courts held sway."

Chloe shook her head. "No, I knew that."

Jesse sat up straighter in his chair as Aubrey picked two bottles of water up from a small fridge. "You did? And did you tell the Gopniks?"

Chloe rolled her eyes as Aubrey placed the two bottles in front of herself and Jesse. "It was a long time ago."

A scoff from Aubrey. "It was less than two months ago."

Chloe sighed dramatically, "I know, but so much has happened: I've been let go, I've had my financial requests rejected."

"You're gonna blackmail us for your testimony?" Jesse asked, repulsed by the potential for that to be the case.

"No, I'm just telling the truth." Chloe's lips contorted into a smile, "It's hard to remember when there's been so much tension in my life about money."

"What tension?" Aubrey asked, the blonde relatively pissed off with the redhead's behaviour.

"My capital contribution." Chloe state simply as both partners shared a glance. "You know, the $150,000 I gave Posen, Mitchell and Swanson as a first installment when I was first hired." Jesse's hand went to his brow, "The $150,000 that should've been returned to me when I left."

"When you stole our clients." Fat Amy mentioned as she entered the room.

" _ **Amy**_." Jesse practically scolded.

Aubrey leaned forward, looking at Chloe from across the table. She studied Chloe's hair and the way it was pulled back into a bun. She looked at the redhead's outfit, the blouse and jacket reflecting her own style. "You know, sometimes I look at you and I wonder if you've changed or if you were always this way."

Chloe shrugged, "I had some of the best teachers in the world. I couldn't help but change."

Jesse was keen to get back on topic. "So you will testify for us if you get your capital contribution refunded?"

"Yes."

"And what will your testimony be?"

Chloe looked at Jesse. "The check first." She stood up, throwing her bag over her shoulder. "Call me when you're ready."

* * *

Emily opened the door, taking in the woman in front of her. "You're here for the law firm?"

Cynthia Rose raised an eyebrow, looking at the girl in front of her. "Yes."

"Perfect." Emily said to no-one in particular. "Come on in."

Cynthia Rose looked around as she followed Emily further into the apartment. "This is Beale/Junk?"

Everyone looked up from their work as Emily led the bankruptcy lawyer into the living room, the reception for the Posen, Mitchell and Swanson employee anything but loving. Chloe stood up from her chair, where she'd been telling everyone about her altercation with Posen and Swanson. All eyes were on the black woman. "I've reviewed your financials, and, um, I'm sad to say they're not good."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "Keep in mind we're a new venture."

Cynthia Rose sat on one of the chairs, opening her file. "A new venture without offices, without paralegals, and with a high school girl answering the door." Emily went to protest, Chloe stopping her from doing so with a look. "There is no magic in the books 30% of your billables are spent reviewing depositions." Chloe looked over the bankruptcy lawyer's shoulder. "This is, uh unfortunately work you can't bill at a premium."

"But we need to do it." Ashley reminded everyone, "we don't have the manpower to delegate."

"Yes, I see that." Emily shook her head, thinking that Cynthia Rose was a secret agent. "That is why I suggest Bangalore. Law firms there will perform your document review for pennies on the dollar." Emily still wasn't convinced. "I'm no longer employed by Posen, Mitchell and Swanson - Aubrey's PMS-ing everywhere, and Jesse's turned into his father; power hungry and determined."

Jessica grabbed Chloe's arm, pulling the redhead away from the table. "Jess, I'm in a meeting."

"Someone's ratting your computer."

Chloe frowned. "What does that mean?"

The investigator's face was exoressionless. "Remote Access Tool, RAT."

Chloe grabbed Emily, pulling her into the hallway outside the apartment, Cynthia Rose quick to follow. "Why are you out here?"

"My computer's been hacked."

Cynthia Rose frowned, "By who?"

Emily folded her arms, unbelieving that this would actually escalate to the point where people's computers were being hacked. "Do you think they'd do it?"

"I think Aubrey wouldn't, she knows how much I value privacy." She looked between the two other women. "Fat Amy might." Emily nodded, it was indeed a possibility. "I was over there today; they're pretty angry."

Cynthia Rose looked up. "I know a virus expert who can take care of this."

Emily held her hand up, "No, no, let's use it."

Chloe pondered on it for a moment. "Give them false information?"

Emily smirked, "About clients we've signed." She was feeling devious. "Clients who are thinking of leaving them."

Chloe nodded, loving the idea. "Make them chase their tails."

Cynthia Rose looked between the two partners, "You know you're running a firm here, not a children's game."

* * *

"I don't know her." Beca sighed, looking at Jeffrey. "I never met her." She'd dragged Aubrey and Jesse to the city's detainment centre, since she wasn't particularly keen on defending a murder case on a good day, let alone when the Chicago Bears were playing football. "I know that she's at the same school, but I it's a big school."

Beca had let Aubrey and Stacie take over the meeting; the blonde ignoring his remarks since they were nervous and he looked anywhere but her eyes. "Now, Dani was found with ketamine in her system."

Jeffrey banged his fist on the table. "I told you, I never met her!" He ran his hands through his hands. "And I don't do drugs, I-I don't sell them."

Stacie smiled softly at the college student. "It's fine, Jeffrey." She opened her notebook. "We're just going through the facts here." She looked at Aubrey, giving the blonde a silent signal about how she was going to take over. "Now, the original suspect from last year, the professor they arrested, did you know him?"

Jeffrey shrugged. "Dr. DeLaney, yeah." Stacie wrote this done, her head nodding slowly as she snuck a glance at Aubrey, marvelling in the way not a single blonde hair was out of place. She was pulled from her fantasy about the blonde by Jeffrey adding more onto his answer. "I was in his statistics class." He shrugged. "But she wasn't in it."

"Yes, but this Dr. DeLaney, he was having an affair with Dani?" Stacie probed.

"That was the rumor."

Stacie nodded, "Okay, I'll look into it." She threw a few short strokes with her pen into the corner. "And we'll have to get into the DNA."

"It's not mine! It can't be my skin under her nails!" Jeffrey sounded desperate.

Jesse nodded his understanding, "We know, Jeffrey, but we attack this case from all sides. It's smart for us to do that." He smiled reassuringly. "So tell me about your family, the men in your family."

"They have nothing to do with this."

Stacie shook her head. "Jeffrey, familial DNA means they found DNA they can trace to someone in your family." Jeffrey slumped further into his chair. "Your family is originally from New York, isn't it? Does anybody else live here but you and your dad?"

A simple shrug. "My sister."

Aubrey shook her. "No, it has to be a man." She reached out and took Jeffrey's hand, running her thumb over the back of it soothingly. "Did anybody visit you at school?"

He perked up. "My Uncle Jim. He dropped by last year for help on his computer." Stacie wrote it down. "I don't want to get anybody in trouble."

The investigator smiled. "You're not, we just need to get a feel of the case."

Beca placed the Italian and Statistics textbooks onto the table. "I, uh, got permission for you to use your textbooks."

Jeffrey smiled at the petite lawyer. "Thanks." He opened the Italian book. "Got final exams next week."

Jesse smiled. "Seems like you're really interested in Italy."

Jeffrey looked up, smiling at the only man in the group. "Yeah, I got an internship in Rome next year."

Jesse nodded. "Ah." He put a hand on Aubrey's shoulder. "We went backpacking there after college."

"Yeah? Did you like it?"

"Oh, yeah." Aubrey shrugged his hand off her shoulder. "I always wanted to go back, but never got the chance, we're just too busy."

"I have never been out of the country." Jeffrey shut his textbook. "Do you think I'll get bail?"

"We'll do our best." Beca promised. "Sit tight, study, think about those finals." She watched as Aubrey and Stacie stood up from their seats. "And they'll see you later, okay?" Jeffrey nodded before they began walking towards the entrance.

Stacie lead the group. "He did it."

"No." Beca rebuffed the investigator. "He's just nervous."

Stacie shook her head. "No, he did it."

"I think he did something." Aubrey reasoned, "Maybe had a fight with her."

Jesse moved to intervene. "Well, we need to stop them from charging him and testing that DNA."

As Jesse and Aubrey headed towards the man's car, Beca frowned. "Where are you going?"

The blonde rolled her eyes. "You don't want to know."

Beca snorted. "She's gonna help us?"

Jesse shrugged. "It's amazing what money will do."

* * *

Chloe smiled at the plaintiff's attorney. "Well, hello again." She was a back in Posen, Mitchell and Swanson. She'd taken a pot of blue M&Ms from the cupboard, Amy normally reserved them for her own clients, but Chloe had silenced the Australian with her glare.

"Hello."

"How are the Isenstadts?" Chloe asked, helping herself to an M&M, glancing at the divorce attorney seated six chairs away from her.

"Unhappy."

Chloe frowned, "I'm sorry."

"Me, too." He opened his file, "And yet here we are with more human suffering."

Fat Amy folded her arms, "Can we get started, or did you both want to play cards?"

Aubrey and Jesse quickly entered the room, "My apologies. We had a real case to deal with." They both sat down, casting a look in Chloe's direction.

"Well, let's see if we can turn this into a real case for you." Chloe awaited his first question. "How long did you work on the Gopnik adoption, Ms. Beale?"

"About four weeks."

He nodded, looking over his pre-written questions. "Were you the supervising attorney?"

"I did the day-to-day management." Chloe folded her hands in her lap. "I looked at some of the documents the younger associates drew up, overall I've had more experience."

"Which documents? Which associates?"

Chloe shrugged. "I believe John Gaultner drafted the initial inquiry letter. Anthony Wright Edelman did the Gopniks' eligibility application, but Really it was just shuffling paper." She looked away from the camera, and towards Fat Amy. "Ms. Wilson was the partner supervising the case overall."

Fat Amy rolled her eyes at the accusation. "And were you aware that the genetic father of the adoptee was part Chippewa Indian?"

Chloe nodded. "I was." She glanced back over to Aubrey and Jesse. "Or, to be more accurate - I became aware of that."

"Good." He looked at Aubrey, smiling. "Accuracy is our friend." Aubrey rolled her eyes. "And were you also aware or became aware that because of the child's Chippewa heritage, the tribe had an absolute right to block this adoption?"

"I was, and I became aware of this."

"So given this awareness, how could you in good conscience allow the Gopniks to proceed down this path?"

Chloe nodded, she knew this was coming. "Because I told them of this possibility and they wanted to go forward with the adoption."

"Are you sure of that?"

Jesse cleared his throat. "Ms. Beale testified to the fact, therefore she's sure of it."

"Excuse me, my understanding is that you have since left Posen, Mitchell and Swanson, Ms. Beale, and therefore - Oh wait, did I say ' _left_ '? I I think the word I was looking for was _'fired'_."

Chloe folded her arms. "Let's not dwell on that."

"I just thought you would welcome this moment to be more forthcoming about those who… Oh, what is the best word here?" He tapped his pen on the table. "'Pushed you out of their law firm'. There must be a German word to that effect."

Aubrey cleared her throat. "Gesundschrumpfen."

Mr. Schmidt nodded. "Thank you."

Aubrey scowled. "You're welcome." She reached over to the camera, about to turn it off. "Now, I believe that Ms. Beale has addressed the basis for her subpoena, - so if there's nothing else, I'll turn this off."

"Ms. Beale, could you please tell me what this is?" Mr. Schmidt took out a photocopied cheque, placing it on the table.

Chloe looked towards her ex-employers, "It's a check for $10,000, drawn on the Posen, Mitchell and Swanson bank account, made out to the Chippewa Nation."

"Do you know what this check was for?"

"I have no idea, I've never seen it before."

Aubrey and Jesse leaned forward in their seats. "Would it surprise you to learn this was a bribe intended to convince the tribe not to object to the adoption?"

Jesse cleared his throat. "I object to this whole line of questioning as defamatory."

"And your objection is preserved for the record." Jesse sighed as Mr. Schmidt continued. "Would it also surprise you to learn that in an affidavit, Chief Joshua Proudfoot one word of the Chippewa Nation asserts this check turned the tribe against the adoption?"

Chloe swallowed. "I can only say that if the facts you relate are true then it does surprise me."

"This was a case you were, in your words, performing the day-to-day management on."

"Mr. Schmidt, she answered your question." Aubrey interrupted.

"I just thought Chloe would jump at the chance to assign responsibility to the firm that fired her."

* * *

Stacie looked at the man in front of her. "Are you Jim Grant?" She'd managed to track down Jeffrey's uncle, finding out he only lived about 30 minutes from Posen, Mitchell and Swanson. "Are you Jeffrey Grant's uncle?"

"Why? Is he all right?"

"You visited him recently at college, right?" Stacie continued.

"Who are you?"

"Stacie." She unzipped her jacket. "How did you meet Dani Littlejohn?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He looked at the investigator, his face filled with confusion.

"Then how did your DNA end up under her fingernails?" His face was still blank. "They found DNA from a male relation of Jeffrey under Dani's fingernails, and you're the only male relative who visited the college, so... When did you meet her?"

"The DNA is male, right? That's why you're looking for a male relation?" Stacie nodded, yes. "Uh, wait just a minute." He disappeared into the house, leaving Stacie to look at the numerous law ornaments on his porch. He quickly returned. "This is me, pre-op." Stacie raised an eyebrow. "That's right, my nephew doesn't know. That was 20 years ago, I've always been Uncle Jim to him."

"Thanks." Stacie wrote that down.

"You know, there's something else Jeffrey didn't know." Stacie looked up from her notebook. "He has a half brother."

* * *

"No, you know who I've been getting interest from? The Paisley Group." Emily mentioned. She and Jessica were discussing false options in front of Chloe's computer, in case Posen, Mitchell and Swanson really were hacking the computer.

"You mean Aubrey's top client?" Jessica asked, glancing at the Mac.

"Y- Yeah, yeah, they, uh, they're not happy with her representation." Jessica looked at Emily, the girl's stuttering potentially revealing their secret.

Jessica cleared her throat. "Make sure they keep it secret from Posen, Swanson and Mitchell."

In the kitchen, Chloe answered her phone, Aubrey's name flashing on the caller I.D. "Hello, Aubrey, I'm not returning the capital contribution; I already cashed it."

" _Well, you may not want to spend it yet, because you're gonna need to come up with $6 million_." Aubrey sounded smug, Chloe noted - not a good sign.

Chloe sipped her glass of water, all the other lawyers silently trying to listen in. "Why, are you gonna countersue me?"

A giggle. " _No_." The sound of papers rustling could be heard. " _We went over the billing records after your wonderful deposition performance, and guess what? Smack in the middle of the adoption proceedings, you were promoted to supervising associate_."

"No." Chloe couldn't believe it, _**fuck**_.

"Yes." Chloe couldn't get over the happy tone to Aubrey's voice, there was no doubt the blonde was enjoying this. " _So partner plus day-to-day management of a case equals supervisory authority. Call it a perk of leadership, but you're personally liable for the whole $6 million_." The blonde promptly hung up, and Chloe knew she was kicking her heels off and placing her feet on the desk.

Chloe walked back into the living room, where Emily - having heard a section of Aubrey's dialogue - was relaying it to all the lawyers. "It's my issue." When Emily went to interrupt, Chloe stopped her. "Wait." Silence fell over the room. "It's not a Beale, Junk & Associates issue. It's mine."

"No," Emily shook her head, "it's all of ours." Ashley and Jessica both nodded in unison. "If they come after you, they come after all of us."

"Thanks." Chloe began, "But I-"

Jessica interrupted the redhead. "No buts, you'd do the same for us."

"I don't understand." Cynthia Rose voiced. "They're countersuing you?"

"They're saying that since I became a supervising attorney while that case was pending, I'm responsible for everything that happened on it, including the bribe." Chloe sighed. "So if the Gopniks win, I'm personally liable for the full $6 million." Cynthia Rose perked up. "Is there something else, Cynthia?"

"I worked with the books at Posen, Mitchell and Swanson, I know _**everything.**_ "

* * *

"So, what special entertainment do you have for me this round?" Chloe watched as Mr. Schmidt walked over to Fat Amy.

"Ms. Wilson, always a pleasure."

The Australian placed her hands on her hips. "Why don't you give up on this suit? You're never gonna win."

Mr. Schmidt chuckled as Aubrey and Jesse emerged from a corridor. "I like suits I can't win, they clarify the mind."

Jesse placed his hands in his pockets. "Well, let's go do some clarifying."

Mr. Schmidt held his hand up. "One second, just waiting for my next witness." Cynthia Rose emerged from the elevator. "Ms. Adams, thank you for doing this."

Cynthia Rose looked at her ex-colleagues. "Fat Amy, Aubrey, Jesse. Good to see you again." The group of 6 made their way towards the conference room, where Cynthia Rose's deposition quickly commenced.

"And how do you know this?"

Cynthia Rose glanced at Chloe. "I was the head of bankruptcy for Posen, Mitchell and Swanson at the time of these events."

"Judas."

"Did you get that?" Cynthia Rose looked to Mr. Schmidt. "Fat Amy, in a clumsy attempt at intimidation."

Mr. Schmidt shook his head. "Might have said it too quietly."

"Judas." Fat Amy repeated. "As in Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Christ." Chloe rolled her eyes.

"And so you were privy to Posen, Mitchell and Swanson's books?"

"Yes."

Aubrey cleared her throat. "Ms. Adams, much of this information is privileged."

"Not this information, _ma'am_." The bankruptcy attorney looked back at the camera. "Posen, Mitchell and Swanson is contending that Chloe Beale was the supervisor at the time of this bribe to the Indian council."

"Is that correct?"

"No." Cynthia Rose motioned to the two managing partners in the room. "In October, I recommended to Ms. Posen and Mr. Swanson that they dedicate more partner hours to cases, and Amy Wilson was assigned as the lawyer of record."

"Which means he was legally responsible for supervising?"

"And personally liable here."

Mr. Schmidt stood up, turning the camera off. "Looks like it's back in your court."

* * *

"So you acknowledge bringing the Gopnik adoption case in the door?" Mr. Schmidt looked at Fat Amy, the Australian merrily eating the M&Ms in the bowl in front of her.

Fat Amy looked at the attorney. "Well, I'm not sure what you mean by 'in the door'."

Mr. Schmidt ran a hand through his hair. "I've got Ms. Beale outside ready to be re-deposed. So can we handle this civilly?"

Fat Amy rolled her eyes. "I brought in the business."

"So, the $10,000 that was sent to the reservation-"

"I've already said it didn't come from me. But I know who sent it."

.

Stacie walked up to Beca. "The brother looks good for this."

The petite brunette looked up from her laptop, "And the gum?"

"That's not something they can ignore, It's already over there."

.

"I didn't supervise him." Fat Amy answered categorically.

"And who is this person, this Anthony Wright Edelman?"

"Oh, one of these little idiots who left with Chloe, the Indian kid."

"And you're saying he sent out the bribe to the Chippewa council?" Mr. Schmidt wrote a few sentences down in his notebook.

"I'm swearing he sent it out."

"How very convenient for you, given that Chloe superv—"

* * *

"Yes, I offered the tribe cash to sign off on the adoption." The entire room groaned in unison, why had he been so stupid?

Emily hit Anthony on the arm. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking I wanted to win!"

Jessica folded her arms, the blonde looking extremely intimidating when she wanted to. "You lost their adoption."

Anthony shook his head. "Their adoption was lost. I was making a last-ditch attempt to save it."

Ashley slapped Anthony around the face. "You just screwed over Chloe."

"Wait." Chloe held her hands up, silencing the group. "Did you consult with Fat Amy before you sent out the check?"

"No."

Emily sighed, "Did you consult with anyone else? Any partner?"

"Howard Lyman, y'know the one Aubrey and Jesse keep on in case they have to vote against Beca." Anthony answered, looking between Chloe and Emily.

"You consulted with _**Howard Lyman**_?" Emily asked, bewildered that Aubrey even let him in the building. "And he approved?"

Anthony nodded. "He did."

Chloe smiled, "Well, we need to get you deposed." She looked to Jessica. "Call Carter Schmidt."

* * *

Benji managed to nestle the phone between his ear and shoulder, looking at case files whilst on the phone. " _How you doing, Beca_?"

Beca shook her head, ignoring the younger man's pleasantries. "You know you have five hours left to charge or release."

" _I did know that_." Benji acknowledged. " _But I thought we'd sit down together and see if maybe we could work out a deal_."

Beca covered the microphone of her phone, looking at Aubrey who was sitting in her office eating a salad — the blonde hiding from Fat Amy's 'fat power'. "They can't make their case, they want to bargain." Aubrey held her hand up for a high five, which Beca merrily returned. "Sure, Benji. So, you tested the DNA from the ketamine-dealing half brother, didn't you? The gum?"

" _This isn't about the DNA. It is about saving the state a costly and time-consuming trial_."

Beca scoffed. "Well, there's nothing I'd rather do than save the state money. See you in a half hour. Good-bye."

She stood up and grabbed her jacket. "Get a good deal." Aubrey enthused from her seat as Beca made her way to the door.

* * *

"Jeffrey, this is good news! They want a plea bargain. That means their evidence might not be lining up."

"I'm scared."

Beca sighed, "I know. It's okay; they want to keep you scared so you take a bad deal. You keep a poker face." Jeffrey nodded at Beca's words. "Just listen, nod, and we'll talk afterwards, okay?"

Benji sat down across the table from them. "Involuntary manslaughter. Two years."

Beca nodded. "Okay, we'll think about it." But Benji continued talking.

"It's either that or life in prison, Jeff." Beca's glare wasn't enough to stop the ASA. "You're 22 years old, think about that future."

Beca shook her head. "Thanks, Benji. We'll consider it."

"You want to see Italy at some point in your life? Take this deal."

"Time to let us talk, Benji." The young ASA stood up, walking out of the detainment centre. "Did you kill Dani Littlejohn?" Jeffrey shook his head - no. "Is there any way your skin could've ended up under her fingernails?" Another head shake - no. "You didn't know her at all, never even met her?" A final head shake - never. "Then you're innocent and you should reject this deal."

"Okay."

"No." Beca began, looking at the scared boy in front of her. "You have to tell me."

"I reject this deal."

Beca nodded. "Good."

Jeffrey began wringing his fingers, "So why do I feel so nervous?"

Beca smiled reassuringly, an action she didn't do normally. " Because this stuff isn't meant to be easy; you're strong for getting this far."

* * *

Aubrey and Jesse walked into Benji's office, _pissed_. "So, what's this about, a new offer?" The blonde asked, taking Benji's phone from his hand. "He'll call you back." She hung the phone up, sitting on the ASA's desk.

"Well, not exactly a new…" Benji swallowed at the sight of the blonde's sheer blouse. "Actually, yes, maybe we should call it a new one, you should've taken that two years." He cleared his throat. "Stop trying to sway me, Aubrey."

Jesse walked up to the table as Aubrey buttoned her blazer up. "And you should've already checked the DNA on that gum." Jesse put his hands on Benji's shoulders. "His half brother did it."

"We did check it." Benji replied, shrugging Jesse's hands off his shoulders. "It's not him." Jesse exchanged a look with Aubrey. "So I charged your client with Dani Littlejohn's murder, and I expedited his DNA." Both managing partners knew what was coming as Benji took the paper from his pocket and handed it over. "It's a hundred percent match. Jeffrey said he never met her, but that is his DNA under her fingernails. He killed that girl." Jesse went to put the document in his pocket. "Sorry, you'll have to wait for discovery."

Aubrey turned around, walking out of the office, Bumper's voice following her. "Don't be upset, Posen. Clients lie."

* * *

The next morning, the depositions were continuing, Anthony being deposed first thing in the morning. Aubrey and Jesse had allowed Chloe to sit in on the deposition, but only because they had a plan.

Anthony rolled his shoulders backwards. "Anthony Wright Edelman."

Carter Schmidt tapped his pen against the long conference room table. "Mr. Edelman, were you staffed as an associate on the adoption that is the subject of this lawsuit?"

"I was."

"And did you send Chief Joshua Proudfoot of the Chippewa Nation a check for $10,000 to induce the tribe not to object to the adoption?"

"I did."

Mr. Schmidt nodded, "at whose direction did you deliver this inducement?"

"Chloe Beale's." Chloe sat up in her seat, staring at Anthony.

Mr. Schmidt looked up from his notepad suddenly. "Chloe Beale? Are you sure?"

Anthony nodded. "Yes. Ms. Beale told me we had to make the payment to facilitate the adoption."

Chloe's eyes widened comically, darting between Anthony and Schmidt. "What are you doing?"

Jesse cleared his throat. "I will remind Ms. Beale that she is not a party to this deposition, she's here as a courtesy, and if she interrupts again, she'll be asked to leave."

Mr. Schmidt nodded, "So Ms. Beale was the attorney supervising you on this matter?"

"That's correct."

"Were you working at any other partner's behest?" Anthony shook his head - No.

When the deposition was complete, Chloe followed Anthony out of the conference room. She was mad, pissed, betrayed. How dare he go back on her and the firm that way. "You want to tell me what that was about?"

Anthony ignored the redhead, instead walking over to Aubrey and Jesse, the latter shaking his hand. "Welcome back."

Anthony smiled, following Jesse into Aubrey's office. "Thank you."

Aubrey stood in front of her office, "Isn't it nice? We had a partnership position open, so Anthony got it."

Chloe's fury wasn't hiding anymore as she stormed up to her ex-best friend, pulling at the blonde's hair. "I will file a complaint with the ACDB. I will sue you for conspiracy." She turned around, beginning to walk off. "Stop ratting our computers. It's illegal.

Aubrey raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Do it again and we'll bring charges."

"Sure, whatever you say." Aubrey folded her arms. "Good luck with your firm, Ms. Beale, I'd start putting my $6 million together now."

* * *

"I didn't lie!" Jeffrey banged the table, staring at the three attorneys in front of him. "I never met her!"

Jesse was leaning over the table. "Then how did your DNA end up-"

"I don't know," Jeffrey began, holding his head in his hands as he wept. "I-I-I don't know."

"Okay," Aubrey began, Jeffrey clinging onto her hand for dear life. "Let me see what I can do."

Jeffrey shook his head. "I'm never getting out of here, am I?"

Beca sighed. "I'll ask for bail, but I don't know." She glanced at Jesse, the man pacing in circles. All three of them were stressed, that was apparent, but they still wanted to help Jeffrey with his case. "They're gonna probably transfer you to county, so don't talk to anyone - cellmates are prone to snitch."

"Oh, my God."

Aubrey looked into Jeffrey's eyes, hers of electric yellow and green meeting his darkening ones. "Listen, we're going to trial. We'll try to move fast, but it could take six months." Jeffrey nodded, Aubrey's eyes were gentle, not fierce like they were in court, making Jeffrey feel safe and secure. "I need you to hold it together, okay? Jeff, look at me." She smiled softly. "Okay? I'm not giving up, don't you give up, either."

* * *

Chloe looked at Emily, the younger woman pacing around. "We're trying to get our heads around the Anthony thing, he blindsided all of us." The brunette sighed. "The question is, how much can he hurt us?"

Ashley shook her head. "A lot." She looked to Chloe. "He'll dish on every strategy he was privy to."

Jessica pulled Chloe into her bedroom, where Cynthia Rose was standing anxiously. "Go ahead, Cynthia."

"Chloe." The bankruptcy attorney began. "Even without office space, you're sinking under the cost of overhead. Malpractice insurance, staff salaries, marketing costs." Chloe ran a hand through her hair, stressed out. "What you need to be doing now is billing hours, and without Anthony, your manpower crisis has worsened."

Jessica cleared her throat. "She wants us to hire her."

Cynthia Rose folded her arms. "Business expertise is something you are sorely lacking, your books are in disarray. I will get you on your feet financially."

Jessica smiled. "And she'll work for free."

"Now, I will only work for free until the firm is profitable, which I will work day and night to achieve." Cynthia Rose promised. "Once we're in the black, then I want my salary retroactively." Chloe nodded enthusiastically. "Thank you."

Chloe shook her head, the smile infectious. "No, we'll be thanking you."


	7. Chapter 7

_**Author's Note: Have fun with this chapter guys! I'll reply to the reviews on chapter 6!**_

 _ **Guest (03/01): I thought the dynamic of the two cases would work nicely, and obviously I'll get back with the adoption case too. I don't want the ships to occur too suddenly - through the events I have planned it's at a normal pace and works well with the universe it's based in.**_

 _ **BusinessGrad: um... mind explaining a little? I don't know whether this is a good 'WTF' or a bad one...**_

 _ **Star Flowers: Thanks so much for your kind words! Much of this originates from seasons 4 and 5 of The Good Wife, so you can watch that and it's on Netflix ;)**_

 ** _llvr: $6 million isn't that much in a failed adoption, which almost makes it more reasonable. Also: don't hate my babies, all will be revealed, keep an open mind._**

 ** _Coffee Assistant: Tom's way was to threaten even tougher measures on ChumHum, than other companies, using him as an explicit example. Sorry if that's confusing, but it wasn't a massive part of the plot._**

 ** _JazzTheCookieMonster: As soon as I saw the same actor played both I knew he had to be this fic's version of Neil Gross! I'm glad you're enjoying it._**

 ** _: Thank you heaps!_**

 ** _Tavern Bird: Here's Tom for ya, I know you love him!_**

 ** _Unicorn Bitch: This fic as a whole really has pairings in second after the plotline, which means that they won't fully get together for a while... sorry?_**

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights  
**_ _07: Dramatics, Your Honor_

* * *

Jesse smiled as he addressed the partner's meeting. "This is no longer a dream. This is reality." He was standing at the end of the conference room table. "Three months from now, we are opening offices in New York." He looked at each and every partner, with whom he'd won and lost many cases. "We are growing, share that with your clients. The era of constriction is over." He pressed a button of the TV monitor's remote. "Now, a new era needs new branding." The usual wallpaper, stating ' _Posen, Mitchell and Swanson'_ transformed into a more corporate design. "P.S.M. Own those letters. No one says 'Posen, Mitchell and Swanson' anymore. It's _P.S.M."_ Beca chuckled, catching onto the reason why her name and Jesse's had been switched over.

* * *

Later that evening, Tom gently ran his fingers over slender arms, his fingertips relishing in the soft skin of his fiancé. He pulled her body closer to his, kissing the back of her head as she continued to face away from him. He continued whispering the 'I love you' he'd always felt so wrong saying to Chloe, smiling at the scent of Chanel and the sight of the ring on her finger – the ring he'd placed out of love, not of pressure.

They were both pulled from their loving state by Tom's phone ringing on the nightstand. He sat up, taking the Apple device in his hand and pressing 'answer'. "Chloe, what do you want?"

Chloe ran a hand through her hair, " _we've found offices, Tom! How amazing is that_?" The blonde in his wife's bed with him rolled over, her emerald eyes questioning. " _You can go and pick up your stuff if you want, we're celebrating at Emily's._ "

He rubbed the back of his head with his hand, looking at the bed that was most definitely Chloe's. "Thanks, Chloe, I just want this over and done with."

" _I do too, Tom. But first I need to kick Posen's butt."_ There was a giggle in Chloe's voice, the redhead sounding tipsy. " _See you later_." Just as abruptly as the conversation started, it ended, with Chloe hanging up on her husband.

His fiancé raised an eyebrow when the conversation ended, "what was that about?" Tom simply shrugged, his fingers moving to play with the robe she was wearing, the clothing suiting the love of his life more than it had ever done Chloe. Tom smiled to himself when the robe fell open, exposing the body he'd come to know and love. "Happy six years."

"You're the best present I could ever have." His lips hovered mere millimeters from her own. "Aubrey Hamilton…" His hand traced its way to her waist, pulling her on top of him.

One of Aubrey's perfect eyebrows was raised, "that has to wait until I beat you in the Grant murder case." Tom couldn't help but smile as Aubrey's hand went towards his boxers. This is how he'd imagined love with Chloe would've been, several years ago, but now all he could think about was blonde hair, emerald eyes, and a perfect smile.

God, he was the luckiest man alive.

* * *

Tom approached the Jury's box, adjusting his cufflinks. "Now, let me tell you exactly what the defense is going to say." He glanced back over his shoulder, gaze falling to the diamond on Aubrey's finger. "That the DNA can't be trusted. Mr. Swanson's going to pound his desk and say loudly, so that you know that it's important, 'Garbage in, garbage out'." He quickly and smoothly moved back to the prosecutor's table as Jesse stood up to begin his own starting motion.

"Well, I'm glad Mr. Hamilton gave you a preview of my defense, it'll save me time." As the jury laughed, Jesse, too, approached the jury's box, choosing to lean against it. "You'll notice though, that I'm not pounding my desk, or yelling wildly. Simple fact is, I don't need to; I have a client who is innocent."

The two lawyers continued their battle of speech in order to get the jury up to scratch on the situation. "Mr. Grant tried to rape Dani Littlejohn and when she resisted, he killed her." Tom had the jury and gallery in his hand, the world was his. "Now, how do I know that Mr. Grant did this? There were no video cameras there. Well, luckily, science has provided its own video camera. In her last desperate moments, Dani scratched Mr. Grant, leaving his skin under her fingernails. Nails just like Ms. Posen's." Tom reached to the defence table and took Aubrey's hand, kissing it softly like he would any female defence lawyer he was trying to throw off their game. "This young girl's brave last act did not save her life, but it did catch her killer."

Jesse elbowed his partner, signaling for the blonde to take this section - the female jurors may prefer it delivered from a strong, independent woman. "Here's the thing about DNA: whatever you touch, whether you pick up a soda can, or a garden hose, you leave a small trace of yourself." Aubrey pressed her finger against the wood of the jury's box, just for a moment, before she removed it again. "There, I just left a small trace of my DNA." She smiled kindly at one of the female jurors in the front row, sending a silent 'suck on that' to Tom. "Now, ma'am, if you were to touch it in the same place, a small trace of my cells may end up on you."

The judge was happy watching the two sides almost civilly swap their sides of the same story, watching three highly successful lawyers at such a young age was refreshing. "Now, Mr. Swanson will attempt to explain away this DNA in many exotic ways and in fact, like any good defence attorney, he will leave this court and argue in another court that DNA is absolutely infallible."

Without even looking up, Aubrey continued the summary, the jury hanging onto each and every one of her words. "Jeffrey never knew Dani Littlejohn, never met her, never even said hello to her on campus." The blonde glanced at Tom. "And possibly most damning of all, the police arrested someone else - for this murder."

Tom stood up. "Objection."

Judge Politi nodded, rubbing his forehead. "Come on up."

All three lawyers made their way to the bench, Aubrey purposefully brushing her hand with Tom's. "That was a little bit unsubtle." Tom noted.

"Need to keep the jury awake." Judge Politi rolled his eyes at the blonde. "You said I couldn't mention the man's name, Your Honor."

Judge Politi shook his head. "No, Aubrey, I said you couldn't mention the man himself."

"Your Honor, it goes to my theory of the case."

Tom cut in. "Oh, yeah, please, let's hear the theory of the case."

Aubrey jabbed him in the rib with her elbow. "The police were so embarrassed by arresting the wrong man a year earlier, they railroaded my client."

"No." Judge Politi decided. "This isn't about the cop's motive; this is about you putting doubt in the mind of the jury and I want you to cut it out."

"Yes, Your Honor."

"Good. Now, are you done with your opening argument?"

Aubrey nodded, "yes, Your Honor."

"Good." Tom smirked at the blonde, he loved the game they played in court. "Now, step the hell back."

Tom stopped for a moment before they split to go to their opposing tables. "You should've taken the plea, Aubrey."

Judge Politi checked his watch. "We're going to recess for lunch, I'll see you back here in 90 minutes."

Jesse sat back down beside Jeffrey, "Jeffrey, remember what I said: it's a marathon, it's not a sprint."

"They think I'm guilty."

"Everyone will think you're guilty until we present our evidence." Aubrey promised, carefully taking Jeffrey's hand, trying to add some comfort to the situation. "Hold it together and don't look away, you meet their eyes."

* * *

Emily held the coffee cup out to her partner, "Everything all right?"

Chloe had been in deep thought, the past couple of months uneventful in court but steaming ahead at full speed in their new offices – in an old t-shirt warehouse. "I was just thinking, none of this existed three months ago."

Emily smiled, perching on the edge of Chloe's desk. Granted, their offices may never be like Posen, Mitchell and Swanson's; but they were theirs, and they'd designed them. "Yeah it's a real firm."

"Thank you."

"For?"

Chloe's gentle smile was painted across her features. "Making me do this." She sipped the coffee. "God, I need to get laid." Emily began giggling, causing the older woman to elbow her.

Emily continued giggling. "Do you think Aubrey and Beca talk like this?" Chloe shook her head, giggles falling from between her own lips, happy and proud. "We just need a shot of bourbon."

Chloe shook her head mockingly; god this was so much more fun than her life beforehand. "I'll get some."

* * *

"We can claim with 99.9 percent certainty that this DNA comes from Mr. Grant." The forensic scientist looked at Tom, the State's Attorney having brought forth his next witness.

The entire courtroom's gaze was locked with the scientist's, the tension so sharp it could be cut with a knife. "And did you find any other evidence of DNA - around or on the body?"

"No, only Mr. Grant's."

"And the quantity of the DNA under the victim's fingernails was consistent with a defensive struggle?" Tom held his hands up, playing out the struggle as he'd envisioned it.

The doors swung open, a leggy brunette walking into the room, file in hand. Jesse turned around at the sound of the door opening, the attorney smiling at the sight of Stacie walking towards him.

"That is correct."

Jesse took the offered file as Stacie sat down on one of the many benches in the courtroom. "Where'd you get it?"

The leggy investigator shrugged, like it was no big deal. "Campus security, they were sympathetic."

"Stacie, I could kiss you." Jesse whispers as he goes over the documents within the file.

"Not here." Stacie paused for a moment, her eyes noticing the ring on Aubrey's finger for the first time. "Listen, I-I need to talk to you later. Got to go!" As abruptly as Stacie had entered the courtroom, she left, leaning against the wall and taking a deep breath as soon as she was in the clear – _shit_.

Aubrey took the documents, reading through them as Tom asked his final question. "You have no doubt about the providence of this DNA?"

The forensic doctor shook his head. "With all DNA work, sir, we leave ourselves a degree of doubt but the doubt here is 0.00001."

"Thank you, sir." Tom began his journey back to his table. "And now I believe Mr. Swanson would like to talk to you about Touch DNA."

Jesse leaned back in his chair, "I do! Thank you, Tom." He picked his pen up. "Now that the prosecutor has brought it up, what is Touch DNA?"

The man in the witness stand cleared his throat, sitting up slightly. "DNA that is transferred via skin cells when an object is handled or touched."

Jesse nodded to himself. "And how many skin cells does a person shed every day?"

"Approximately 400,000 skin cells."

Jesse's eyes widened in surprise. "Wow that's a lot." He picked up a cloth bound book from the table, turning it over in his hands. "So, if I handled this book on my desk, Introduction to Litigation, it was a gift from Mr. Hamilton."

Tom smiled from his seat across the courtroom. "Well, you told me you'd finally read it." A selection of chuckles sounded throughout the courtroom, making Jesse smile before continuing.

"Now, if I handled this book and I hand it to you am I transferring cells?"

The forensic scientist nodded. "You could be, most definitely." Jesse threw the book back to Tom, smirking. The forensic scientist continued. "You would have to hold it for some time and it would be a better absorbent if the cover were cloth."

"As this one is." Jesse motioned to Tom. "Now my DNA could be under Tom's fingernails?"

"That would transfer your cells, I won't deny it."

Aubrey stood up from the table. "Your Honor, we've had some late arriving evidence and unfortunately, I haven't had time to put it on slides for the court."

Judge Politi nodded, "that's all right, Ms. Posen, we can struggle without technology today."

Aubrey smiled gratefully, making her way over to the forensic scientist, holding out a photograph. "The last day of Dani Littlejohn's life, she checked out a research book from her advanced sociology class. This is her at 3:25 p.m., as seen from the library surveillance cameras." The blonde moved one of her fingers to point at the young woman. "Do you see her there?"

"I do."

"Now," Aubrey continued, turning the photo away from the forensic scientist and putting it below another document, "this was a book all the sociology classes needed to share, so a student couldn't take it out of the library, they had to return it after reading the chapter—"

"Ms. Posen appears to be testifying here, Your Honor." Tom objected.

Judge Politi's gaze came to settle on Aubrey. "She does at that. Is there a question swimming around in all those statements?"

"Yes, Your Honor." Aubrey cleared her throat. "A few hours earlier, at 12:39, the same book was checked out by this person. Do you recognize him?"

The forensic scientist leaned forward in his chair. "It looks like Jeffrey Grant."

Aubrey smiled. "It is, actually." She placed the pictures on the wood in front of the jury. "Now, this sociology book, an old book, had a cloth cover. Is it possible, that the DNA at question here, was transferred via the cloth cover of this book?"

The forensics expert nodded. "It could, but to get under the victim's fingernails, she would've had to grip the book quite tightly."

"Yes, but as you say, it's possible."

"It's certainly possible."

Aubrey carried the photos over to Tom once they jury had inspected them, placing them on his table. "Can you see that, Mr. Hamilton?"

Tom cleared his voice, shifting uncomfortably under the pressure of requiring new evidence and the way Aubrey's dress clung onto her slender body. "I can, Ms. Posen, thank you."

* * *

"Thank you for returning, Doctor." Tom straightened his cufflinks, looking at the forensic scientist. "Now, if you wanted to avoid leaving Touch DNA, how could you do it?"

"Well, the best way would be to remove the top layer of dead cells on your skin."

"Through washing hands?" Jesse sat up straighter in his seat, the prick had something up his sleeve. "Or some kind of solvent or alcohol-based cleanser… Or chlorine?"

"Yes. A chlorine-based wash would be quite effective."

Tom ran his finger over the edge of the folder, "Wouldn't chlorine also be effective at washing away any result from Touch DNA?" When he received an affirmative 'yes' from his witness, Tom turned to Judge Politi. "My apologies, Your Honor. This evidence arrived so late, I, too, didn't have time to transfer it to a monitor."

Judge Politi shook his head. "It's like Perry Mason here with all this late-arriving stuff. Go ahead."

Tom took the photo out, carefully placing it on the witness stand. "Would you please tell me who you see in this photo, sir?"

After looking at the photograph momentarily, he was settled upon his answer. "It looks like the victim, Dani Littlejohn."

"It is in fact, at the college swimming pool." Tom glanced back over his shoulder. "Could you tell me the time code of the campus surveillance camera?"

"It says 5:12 p.m."

Tom smiled to himself, "that's right. So this would be after Ms. Posen's library photo of Ms.

Littlejohn - handling the cloth sociology book?"

"Yes, an hour and a half later."

Tom placed the photograph on the wood at the front of the juror's box. "Let me take this by the jury." Once the jury began examining the photograph, he turned back to the forensic scientist. "So, if Ms. Littlejohn went swimming in a chlorinated pool, after she'd handled the book positively doused with Touch DNA, would that eliminate any effects of Touch DNA on her body?"

"It would, definitely." Jeffrey watched as Aubrey and Jesse both swore under their breaths.

"And so the DNA underneath Ms. Littlejohn's fingernails would still most likely come from a defensive wound that night."

Aubrey stood up, determined to save something. "Objection! Beyond the scope."

Judge Politi rolled his eyes. "Sure, you can have that one. Sustained." Tom took the photograph back, "Did you have any more questions?" Tom simply shook his head, no.

* * *

"It's my fault." Stacie insisted, "I should have checked."

Beca was in the conference room too, looking at the massive board she'd drafted up, with Jeffrey's movements on the day of the murder. Sure, she was no longer representing him in court due to her disdain for rich clients, but she was forefront of prep. "We gotta start over. How did his DNA end up on her?"

Stacie nodded, flipping open her notebook. "Okay, I'm on it."

Jesse continued tracing his finger over the large board, "Dani Littlejohn got out of the campus pool at 5:12. Jeffrey Grant's card key has him entering his dorm room at 7:49 p.m." He shook his head. "They had to cross somewhere in there."

Beca looked at their investigator. "Stacie?"

Stacie put all the papers she'd collected down on the table. "So Grant had his baseball game at 6:30. He was injured at 7:00, went to the emergency room and was released at 7:30."

Beca ran a hand through her hair. "Did they cross at the hospital?"

"Uh, there was no record of Dani visiting the hospital."

Jesse clapped. "What were Dani Littlejohn's exact movements from her swim until the time of her death? And how could Jeffrey have crossed with her? Let's go!"

Aubrey stepped into the conference room, Tom just behind her. "You're starting over?"

Jesse rolled his eyes playfully. "Get him out of here, he's gonna steal our game plan."

Tom winked at Jesse, throwing a baseball across the room. "I'm Tom, not The State's Attorney, and I'm spending time with my fiancé; not that you guys have a case anyway."

Jesse threw the ball back as Beca laughed. "Oh, we have a case Tom, it's a Louis Vuitton and I'm gonna shut your balls in it." The smallest of the four continued her laughing at her own joke as a chuckling Tom walked off in search of beer.

Aubrey walked further into the room, failing to notice Stacie's sad looks. "We're putting eight associates on it?"

Beca nodded as Jesse twirled his pen in his fingers. "Hold on, Stace." Stacie turned around from her position near the door, "What about the earlier suspect, the professor? Dr. Delaney?"

Aubrey raised an eyebrow. "The judge won't allow any mention of him."

Beca ignored the blonde's words, choosing instead to work through things in her brain. "Do we think he did it?"

Stacie frowned. "Who, Jeffrey?"

Aubrey shook her head, "No, the professor."

Beca cleared her throat. "Do we think Jeffrey did it?"

Stacie ran her hand over her forehead, "I-I don't know."

Beca began pacing up and down the length of the room. "Well, what is the plea on the table?"

"It's off the table." Aubrey clarifies. "Jeffrey rejected it."

Beca shakes her head, that wasn't the question. "What was the plea on the table?"

Jesse rubbed the stubble beginning to grow on his chin. "Eight years." Beca rolled her eyes. "You think I've lost my perspective?"

Beca shook her head, placing her hands on Jesse's shoulders and pushing him into one of the chairs. "No, I just think eight years is preferable to life. Jeffrey is 22, he'll be out before his 30th birthday."

"He rejected it." Jesse grits out, his patience beginning to wear thin.

Neither Jesse or Beca have noticed that both Aubrey and Stacie have snuck from the room, leaving them alone to argue. "Well, your defense seems to be taking for granted his innocence." Beca's voice was rising rapidly. "What if he's not? What's your fallback?"

Jesse pushed back, standing up and towering over Beca. "The jury believed Touch DNA! They looked at Jeffrey and they wanted to believe he didn't do it! All we need to do is hint at cross between Jeffrey and the victim somewhere where his DNA could have ended up on her." Beca shook her head, they were playing with Jeffrey's freedom for sport. "This isn't a crusade, Beca. I like the kid, I think he's innocent, Aubrey thinks he's innocent. I feel bad he's having the crap beaten out of him in holding, but I'm playing this smart."

Beca stares at him for a moment before she relents, not wanting to fight with the man she's called her best friend for years. "Okay, tell me if you need my help, I'll be in the courtroom down from yours."

Jesse raises an eyebrow. "On what?"

"The hedge fund Vonerich – Aubrey and I swapped so she could help you." Beca picked up her notepad. "Another DUI."

Jesse chuckled. "Keeping the world safe for drunk CEOs."

Beca winked. "It's my new motto." She looked at the number on her paper. "Are, uh, are they okay? Jeffrey's parents?"

Jesse nodded. "I think so."

* * *

Chloe continued to sit on her couch as she finished the final call of the night. "I understand, Mr. Grant, I know, but your son is mid-trial." Emily walked into the room, holding a used condom. Chloe held the phone away from her mouth, covering the microphone. "The Grants, their son, they want a second opinion." She noticed the condom. "Emily what the heck?"

Jeffrey's dad continued talking, pulling Chloe's attention away from the condom and to the real matter in hand. "Uh, no, I'm sorry. Look, Jesse Swanson and Aubrey Posen are Posen, Mitchell and Swanson's top litigators." A pause. "Yes, P.S.M, sorry." His worries were still coming down the phone, making Chloe rub one of her temples. "No, I'm sorry, sir, but you're in good hands."

Chloe sighed in relief when he hung up, "Emily, why do you have that?"

Emily seated herself beside Chloe on the couch. "Well it isn't mine, and it's not yours. Plus, I'm pretty sure this isn't your blazer and your name is not Aubrey Posen." Emily held up a business card. "Tom was here last night; do you have a definitive list of every he's slept with?"

Chloe swallowed, "no, but Aubrey isn't a slut, she's engaged." Emily hums in response, even when Chloe's pissed at someone she still defends them.

* * *

The next morning, Emily stared at Chloe as she headed to the door. "Where you going?"

"Court."

"You offering a second opinion?" Chloe simply nodded before retreating from the apartment.

* * *

As soon as he'd hung up the phone, Jesse was at Jeffrey's side. "Jeffrey, we may have a lead on Dani's whereabouts." Jeffrey looked up from his lap, his hand still clutching onto Aubrey's for dear life. "We think she was buying coffee at the campus coffee shop around 5:30 or so; were you there?"

Just as Jeffrey was about to answer, Aubrey stopped him. "Let me say this before you answer: We need to find someplace your Touch DNA could've ended up under Dani's fingernails after her swimming, and all we can find is this coffee shop." Aubrey shot him a reassuring smile.

"So I have to ask you again, were you in this coffee shop around that time? It makes sense that you would be." Jesse looked at the young man, "come on Jeffrey."

"I don't remember."

"But you might have?" His mother prompted from the front row.

"I might have." Jeffrey clarified.

Jesse nodded at his words. "Good, let me run with that." He began tapping out a text to Stacie. "The more you firm up your memory the better."

Aubrey continued running her thumb over the back of Jeffrey's hand. "You still having trouble in holding?" Jeffrey simply nodded, the upset clear on his face. "I can talk to someone."

Jeffrey shook his head vigorously, "no, they'll just put me in solitary, I'd kill myself in solitary." Aubrey nodded, carefully moving some of Jeffrey's hair out of his face.

"We're winning the war, Jeffrey, I promise."

* * *

"You were busy with other cases?" Aubrey questions simply, the blonde walking around the table towards the detective in the stand.

"And this case."

Aubrey nods, almost taking that statement seriously, "it takes you a while to clear cases, is that it?"

"Look, we had someone else in our sights." Detective Rodriguez shuffled uncomfortably in his chair after answering, his demeanor frosty and cold.

Tom cleared his throat, obviously unhappy about his fiancé's line of questioning. "Objection, Your Honor, relevance."

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "I didn't bring it up."

Tom folded his arms, walking over to the blonde and towering over her. "She cowed the witness into defending,"

"I didn't cow anyone! He volunteered!"

Judge Politi shook his head, "Come on up."

Aubrey looked at Tom. "The witness brought up the other suspect to defend his inactivity."

"After being badgered, Your Honor."

Judge Politi nodded, his pointed gaze settling on Aubrey. "I would agree, Mr. Hamilton, but it's now part of Detective Rodriguez's testimony."

Aubrey smiled softly. "Thank you, Your Honor."

"Don't suck up, Posen. Step back."

Both attorneys did as was asked of them, Tom moving back to his table where he would continue staring, and Aubrey moving back to question Detective Rodriguez some more. "Detective, who was this first suspect you pursued?"

"Dr. Stephen Delaney, he's a math professor at Chicago Poly-Tech."

Aubrey nodded, turning around to approach the table again. "I see; and why did you first suspect him?" She stopped as soon as she saw red sitting at the back of the gallery, the same blue eyes she'd hired over two months ago. As soon as they were allowed a recess, Aubrey walked up to Chloe outside the courtroom. "What's going on?"

"The Grants called me for a second opinion on your trial." Chloe shrugged at the blonde woman. Chloe knew she should mention something about Aubrey sleeping with Tom - but at the end of the day she and Tom were separated and she couldn't tell him what to do. "I told them no."

Aubrey raised an eyebrow, trying to take in where this conversation could be heading. "Then why are you here?"

Chloe smiled softly, reaching out to straighten Aubrey's blouse. "I decided to warn you. I was thinking if I was in your shoes and I had a client calling behind my back, I would want to know." She simply smiled, her eyes moving to the ring on her ex-boss' ring finger.

"Chloe, thank you for telling me, I appreciate it." Aubrey sounded sincere, almost like she **actually** appreciated Chloe's answer as useful.

"Hey, we might have our differences, but you're the better lawyer."

"I am, aren't I?"

Chloe's giggle was instantaneous, their exchange reminding her of how things were at college, in simpler times before Aubrey became a big shot lawyer and before she met Tom. "And the more humble." The wink directed at the blonde was playful, and Chloe pulled the taller woman into a hug before Aubrey made her way back into court, ready to kick ass. "I'm sorry…" But the door had already swung shut, making Chloe fiddle with her jacket's hem before she chose to head to the nearest Starbucks and buy a muffin - she deserved it.

"Mr. and Mrs. Grant, if you want another lawyer, I'll get you a list of other lawyers, but don't go behind my back." Jesse looked up from his conversation with the Grants, the man frowning at his partner's outburst. "Not during trial. Do you understand?"

Mrs. Grant looked at her husband, shocked that P.S.M had even found out about their call to Beale/Junk, "We were just nervous, Aubrey."

"I understand that, we all are." Jesse's smile is as charming as always, trying to calm the parents down from Aubrey's previous outburst.

The blonde then opened her mouth again, her voice firmer than previously, eyes blazing with irritation and anger. "Do you want to make a change?"

"No."

* * *

Tom still had that smirk on his face, his eyes looking at the witness in the stand - the man who had been dropped as Dani's murderer, but had also been outed as Dani's lover at the time. "Now, why did Dani Littlejohn stop coming to your B-Plus Club?"

Dr. Delaney chuckled to himself, "well, she stopped getting B-pluses." He looked at Jeffrey, shaking his head slightly at the boy.

"And did she express her worry about another student in the club?" Tom's questions were beginning to make Jesse and Aubrey whisper bouts of legal jargon and phrases Jeffrey couldn't even begin to comprehend. He looked at his two lawyers before looking back at the witness stand.

"Yes." Dr. Delaney looked straight to Jeffrey. "Jeffrey Grant."

Jeffrey rolled his eyes. "That is such a lie!" Aubrey immediately grabbed his arm, the blonde giving him a pointed look.

Judge Politi shook his head. "Mr. Grant, not another word."

Jesse stood up, "our apologies, Your Honor." He sat down, glancing at Jeffrey, the college student looking down in embarrassment.

Tom leaned against the jury's box, looking at Dr. Delaney. "But Mr. Grant insists that he never met Dani Littlejohn. To your knowledge, would that be false? I'm sorry, but to my knowledge that is false."

A shake of the head. "They were both in my B-Plus Club and, I believe, socialized there."

"Now, let me just ask you this question, because I know Mr. Swanson's chomping at the bit and I don't want to disappoint him." Jesse rolled his eyes at Tom's remark, he was so over this tactic. "Did you kill Dani Littlejohn?"

"No."

"But the police questioned you."

Dr. Delaney nodded, "Yes; I was the last one to see her… alive. She was in my study group, she was a great student."

"But you have an alibi?" Tom prompted, glancing over his shoulder quickly.

"At the time of Dani's death, I was with my ex-wife." Jesse ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head as he leaned back in his chair.

"Thank you, Dr. Delaney."

* * *

Stacie sat down on a bench on Chicago Poly Tech's campus, sighing into the phone pressed against her ear. "Jesse, I think he did it."

At the other end of the call, in a recess at the courtroom, Jesse continued pacing back and forth - they were not doing well, at all. " _The murder weapon, the cinder block, how much did it weigh?_ "

Stacie looked at the notes she'd taken from the State's Office when they were up in discovery. "About 18 pounds."

" _Check with Jeffrey's doctor_." Stacie suppressed herself from rolling her eyes, jotting down Jesse's request, that boy _must_ have done it. " _He was injured pitching that night, right? The doctor who examined him - maybe he couldn't lift it_." Stacie grabbed her bag after Jesse hung up, groaning as she made her way towards the hospital he was treated at.

* * *

"Yes, Jeffrey Grant, the guy on trial." The doctor continued walking through the ER unit with Stacie following her. "He was in here."

Stacie smiled, writing this down in her notebook. "And you treated him?"

The doctor stopped momentarily, "Yes, I treated him. He had a sprain, he was in quite a bit of pain." She picked up a pair of glasses from the desk. "His right arm."

Stacie pulled the picture up on her phone, showing the doctor the block of cinder identified as the murder weapon. "Do you think he could've lifted this? It's about 18 pounds."

Stacie watched intently as the doctor pondered on her thoughts for a moment, casting her mind back to the fateful night where she'd seen that poor girl. "Mm, he might be able to, with difficulty." Stacie nodded, locking her phone once again. "It would be painful." SHe looked at the investigator. "Is this about the murder?" Stacie's nod was enough to answer the question. "I treated her that night, too."

Stacie backtracked, her ears perked up at this new information potentially wrapping the case up. "Sorry, you you treated Dani Littlejohn?" The doctor nodded as she tried to get on with her job. "You treated both Dani and Jeffrey?"

"Yes." The doctor made her way over to a man with blunt trauma to his leg, looking at the wound. "Okay, sir, now, this may hurt, I know, I'm sorry." Once she had assessed his condition, the doctor looked to a nurse. "Let's get him up to X ray on the third floor, and then we'll determine if he needs to go to surgery or not."

Stacie tried to catch up with the doctor as she continued her walk through the ER. "Um Doctor! Sorry, Doctor." She looked at the question on the A5 page in front of her. "When Jeffrey was brought in here, did you examine him in here?"

"Sorry, I'm a little busy."

Stacie began to plead with the doctor. "Just one question: Was Jeffrey examined in the emergency room?"

The doctor nodded as she continued her rounds. "Uh, yes."

Stacie pressed record on her phone, deciding to use it as potential evidence. "And Dani Littlejohn when she was brought in, where was she?"

The doctor shook her head, "In the operating theatre downstairs."

Stacie shook her head, that wasn't the question, she wouldn't have gone straight into theatre. "Yeah, but was she ever on any of these beds?"

The doctor stopped, staring at the brunette investigator. She was insulted the other woman could insinuate such a thing as them not changing bedding. "We change the sheets on these beds after every patient."

"I understand that, but is-is there any way, Doctor, that Jeffrey's sheets from earlier on that night - could've come into contact with Dani?"

"No." The doctor folded her arms, levelling her stare with that of the investigator's. "Would you excuse me?" STacie didn't budge, causing the doctor to sigh in irritation. "Look, check the paramedic; the same one that brought in Jeffrey Grant for his sprain brought in Littlejohn later that night."

Stacie looked Aubrey and Jesse. "I talked to the paramedics, they never changed the sheet. The DNA was transferred on the stretcher." She looked in her notebook, "the paramedics will testify, give me a few hours, maybe overnight."

As the investigator walked back out of the courtroom, Aubrey smiled at Jeffrey, the student staring straight ahead in fear. "Good news, Jeffrey, great news." The blonde frowned at a new mark on Jeffrey's face, obviously in a beat up in general population at Illinois State Penitentiary. "Oh my God, when did that happen?"

Judge Politi looked at Tom, "Did you have any more questions, counselor?"

Tom shook his head from his seat, flipping through his papers. "No, Your Honor, I tender the witness."

Jesse stood up, doing up his suit jacket out of habit. "No, questions, Your Honor, but I request a sidebar."

Judge Politi nodded, "come on up."

Jeffrey swallowed in his seat. "What do I do?"

Jesse placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, "let me talk to the judge. Solitary is better than this." Jesse sent a reassuring smile Jeffrey's way before he walked over to Judge Politi. "Your Honor, we have a new piece of evidence that would require a short overnight recess."

Tom's eyes widened sarcastically. "A new piece? Really? My gosh." When Jesse rolled his eyes and Judge Politi looked at Tom questioningly, the State's Attorney cleared his throat. "Dramatics, Your Honor."

"What is this new piece?"

Jeffrey begins to drown out the attorneys talking with the judge, his mind instead beginning to race at the seriousness of the situation. "We believe the DNA was transferred through a paramedic's gurney."

Jeffrey looked to his right, where a sheriff was standing using his phone, not paying attention to the attorneys in front of him. How could Dr. Delaney sit there and lie about him? Lie about what **he** did to Dani, Jeffrey had no part in it. Jeffrey ran a hand over his face as Tom and Jesse continued their debate, it was driving him insane. He shouldn't, he shouldn't have rejected that plea of two years. Law did not bring justice to everyone. His eyes locked on the sheriff's gun, less than a foot away from him.

His mind was racing.

"Your Honor, at the very most, this is a DUI."

* * *

Beca and Chloe's heads whipped around in their separate courtrooms as the sound of the gun echoed through the courthouse.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Author's Note: This chapter is short because I didn't want to overwhelm you with the aftermath of court, this chapter is merely how both parties are coping with it.**_

 _ **JazzTheCookieMonster: you mentioned Beca being like Will and Aubrey being like Cary, Beca and Jesse are both a bit of Will - competitiveness etc, and Aubrey is a little like Diane. As with the pairings, they're on track as of... NOW.**_

 _ **UnicornBitch: is this soon enough...?**_

 _ **Guest - 9th January: Damn it Jeffrey indeed, haha. Feel free to kick Tom's ass, not sure how successful that will be?**_

 _ **Tavern Bard: ah, hello there my PMS friend. It really is Aubrey, sorry dude. Chloe's just a nice person, I suppose, and if she no longer loves Tom is she in a position to stop him? Also, perhaps Jeffrey rained Aubrey, Jesse, Tom and himself with bullets? That would really fucking suck for Stacie hehe.**_

 _ **Ashley1022: ugh, I know right, Aubrey is so hypocritical, ugh, perhaps she was rained with bullets? Also, from now on, the character may be in the background as well as a main focus.**_

 _ **Gxoxo: Your review confused me somewhat, because the court scenes are the main body of this fanfic. I've read so-called 'lawyer AUs' before, and they had so few courtroom scenes. Plus, a heck of a lot of the altercations between PMS and Beale/Junk happen in court, so I'm sorry they're a bit of a drag for you.**_

 _ **I'm sorry, but I'm reluctant to remove court scenes due to the way the law actually works in real life America, I'm sorry.**_

 _ **Star Flowers: TGW is amazing right?! Perhaps Jeffrey shot himself, perhaps he didn't...**_

 _ **Bulletproofbanjo: Sometimes extreme circumstances call for extreme actions, and you did read correctly. It would've most definitely been Emily's idea.**_

 _ **We're 14 followers away from 100, oh my gosh! Everyone's support is so overwhelming.**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights  
**_ _08: The Aftermath_

* * *

Adrenaline rushed through Stacie's veins as she made her way towards courtroom 207. She'd ditched her shoes prior, the only thoughts on her mind those of her bosses (and fucking Tom).

"Denise, I need to get in there!" Stacie's words were met with silence as she approached the officers, each of their guns pointed into the courtroom. "Did the lawyers get out?" She peered into the room as a man crawled to the exit, being pulled out by an officer. "Denise, answer me for fuck's sake!"

"Damn it, Stace, back off." The curly haired woman looked at the investigator. "I don't know, okay? None of us do." Her eyes widened as Stacie inched closer to the entrance of the room, her eyes darting from side to side as she did so. "Conrad don't you dare."

"It's been three minutes since the last shot."

As the officer's words trickled from his lips, Stacie made a break for it, pushing through the line of officers and towards the two tables – the defence one splattered in blood. Her eyes moved to the body in the witness stand, the doctor's head lolling backwards as the blood began to dry on his neck.

Her eyes cut across the room, seeing a line of blood from the witness stand towards the defence table. She finally reached the end of the aisle, where her eyes were met with three bodies lying on the floor, doused in blood.

"Oh my god." Her eyes darted around again, settling on the body closest to the juror's pen, blonde hair uncharacteristically out of place. "Shit! Denise!"

* * *

Chloe walked through the doors of the ER, ignoring Emily's incessant complaining. She immediately went to the front desk, where she was about to ask for assistance, before she saw Beca pacing up and down. She immediately abandoned Emily and walked over to the attorney, "Beca, what happened?"

Beca looked up from the floor, the usually strong and independent woman looking forlorn and broken. "He shot them, Tom, Aubrey and Jesse. Another sheriff shot Jeremy, we can't get justice." Chloe's face fell, why wasn't she called? Why did she have to hear it from Stacie, the brunette investigator having dragged her from court. "They're checking Aubrey over for a gunshot wound to the hand. It's just, why? Why would you do that?"

Chloe's eyes began to fill with tears as Beca wiped her own eyes. "I'm so sorry Beca."

Beca shook her head, "don't apologise, you're not the one who brought the client in. My best friend's dead, Tom was a great friend of ours. I'm worried about Aubrey especially, I've never seen her love someone the way she did Tom… It's a bad day for Chicago." Chloe pulled Beca into a hug. "Do you want to see him?"

Chloe swallowed, pulling a breath back into her throat. "It's not my place, I'm not the one who is in love with him, who got his love. It's intruding, and I'd rather retain memories from a happier time." Chloe took Beca's hand, glancing back over her shoulder to Emily. "I need to see Aubrey though, now."

Beca nodded, relaxing a little when Stacie approached them, Emily in tow. "Where's Aubrey?"

The investigator flipped open her notebook, "she's refusing to talk to anyone, Becs." Chloe watched the hurt in Stacie's eyes manifest itself in her own gut. Stacie was upset, really upset, and all Emily was doing was complaining. "We can try… but Fat Amy can't be helping, she's going through and saying that she isn't entitled to any of Tom's assets."

Beca nodded, looking to Chloe. "I'm so sorry Chloe, I really am. If you need anything just let me know. The hatchet isn't worth wielding anymore."

Chloe nodded as Beca walked off with Stacie, the investigator smiling her sympathies as they made their way to see Aubrey. Chloe looked over her shoulder, the curtain open slightly, displaying a shoe Chloe would recognise anywhere.

"We could pump his assets into the firm." Emily smiled, "Chloe this is awesome."

Chloe hummed non-committedly, "maybe."

* * *

Beca looked at her attire as she and Aubrey stood in the elevator taking them up to the 28th floor. The brunette had chosen to stick with jeans and a t-shirt, then forcing Aubrey into yoga pants and a hoodie - one of the few tops which would allow for Aubrey's sling. "I need to speak to the partners."

Aubrey sighed at Beca's words, "they've probably been wondering where we were."

As they exited the elevator, Beca immediately made a beeline for the conference room. "It's the vote on the L.A. office."

As the duo neared the conference room, raised voices could be heard coming from inside. "I thought this meeting was at 2:00, I have a client waiting." Fat Amy exclaimed.

Anthony leaned back in his chair. "What did we decide?"

Fat Amy rolled her eyes. "We haven't decided anything yet, what is going on, Aubrey? We're late here."

When Aubrey went to reply, Beca opened her mouth instead. "We had a situation at the courthouse."

The partners silenced, each and every one sitting up in their chair and looking at the two remaining named partners. "What, what, what'd I miss?" Howard Lyman called out.

Beca looked at Aubrey, her best friend definitely not in the shape to dwell on the events. "Jesse was shot."

"What? He he was what?"

Aubrey swallowed, "we've just come from the hospital."

"Jesse was sh-"

"Jesse Swanson?"

"Yes," Beca replied simply, "he's dead."

Fat Amy shook her head. "What? Oh, my God, Jesse's dead?"

Beca nodded as the Australian rose from her chair, leaving the room. " _Apparently some sort of shooting has taken place within one of the courtrooms. Details are sketchy at this point-_ " Fat Amy walked into her office, motioning to her assistants to turn the news off. She rest her hands on the edge of her desk before a few choked sobs fell from her lips at the loss of a friend.

Beca followed Aubrey into the blonde's office, watching as her best friend stared at the three glasses on the sideboard. "Ben Collins called for Jesse, he heard there was a shooting at the courthouse." Beca dismissed her assistant with a wave of her hand, eyes moving to the girl sobbing in the corridor.

"Who is that?" She question, watching as Fat Amy entered the office too.

"Gail, the new intern." Amy answered simply.

Beca folded her arms, glaring through the glass. "How long has she been here?"

Fat Amy shrugged, "A week?"

Beca walked into the corridor, arms folded and brow warm. "Are you done?"

The intern looked up from her tissue, "Excuse me?"

"Are you done crying for a man you barely know in order to gain attention from your peers?" Beca's searing anger was buried deep within her being, heat pooling at the sight of the intern weeping for her best friend, a best friend who'd never known her.

"I don't know."

"Get your things and go home." The intern's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "My best friend is weeping for the man she loved as well as for our partner, so the least you could do is take your things from your desk, leave here, go home, and don't come back."

* * *

Stacie looked at Denise, "I need your help." The cop nodded silently, "thank you." Stacie followed Denise through the station to where a bailiff was being questioned.

"You weren't paying attention at all, were you?" The chief looked at the bailiff. "So what happened next?"

"I was just standing there and I turned around and he had a gun."

"Who had a gun? The defendant?"

The bailiff nodded, "yeah, Jeffrey Grant."

"He had your gun?"

Stacie looked at the man who'd enabled Jeffrey to kill her boss. "Yeah, but I don't know how."

"A witness said he saw you on your cell phone."

Stacie looked at Denise, her voice a whisper. "This is the type of person you allow to stand guard in court? The most amazing person I've ever met got shot in the hand and my boss is dead. Jesse didn't deserve this."

"No." The bailiff held his head in his hands. "I mean, I got a text. I looked at a text, because my girlfriend, she's pregnant."

"When you heard the first shot, what did you see?"

"The kid, Jeffrey Grant, he was-"

Denise took a step forward. "Did you try to get your gun back?" The bailiff in question shook his head, no. "Why not?"

"What? You're kidding me."

Denise folded her arms, "you're unbelievable."

"You weren't there." Stacie looked at Denise, even the investigator would put up a fight. "The kid was just firing everywhere!"

The chief rolled his eyes, "so, what'd you do?"

Stacie opened her notebook. "Witness said you dove behind the first bench in the gallery. Is that true?"

* * *

"That was supposed to be my case." Chloe mentioned, placing her hand on Aubrey's knee in an attempt to give her ex-best friend some required consoling.

Fat Amy poked her head around the door, glaring at Chloe. "Aubrey, do you have a minute?"

Chloe looked at her phone as it began ringing, Ashley's face flashing on the screen. "Don't worry Bree, go." She picked up the call and slipped from the room. "Hi."

" _Where are you?_ "

Chloe rolled her eyes at Ashley's tone of voice. "I'm at Posen, Mitchell and Swanson - or PSM."

The voice on the other end sounded distressed and rushed. " _Chloe, what are you doing? The deposition is now, we promised to give Candace our full attention. We can't just - what are you... What are you doing at PSM_?"

Chloe cleared her throat. "Ashley, Jesse and Tom are dead."

" _What do you mean_?"

Chloe swallowed quietly, taking the chance to look down at her jacket. "They were shot during his trial. They're dead. We have to delay the deposition." Chloe felt the water prick the corners of her eyes. "I'm just, I'm, I have to go."

Ashley voice was suddenly full of concern. " _Chloe? Are you alright_?"

* * *

" _I'll call you back, Ashley."_

Emily walked into the conference room where Ashley was meant to be basing the deposition. "Is she coming? Where is she?" Ashley simply shook her head. "I have to call Jesse's clients."

* * *

"It's not out yet that Jesse is dead, but when it is, the clients will be looking around." Fat Amy proposed as she walked around the conference room table. "Other firms will be poaching his clients, you know this."

Aubrey played with her sling. She was tired, grieving, and the last thing on her mind was Beale/Junk stealing Jesse's clients - didn't he deserve a better send off than this? "Amy, my best friend and fiance just died."

"Bree, I'm sorry." Beca sighed at Fat Amy's words, was she sorry? "I don't want to be doing this anymore than you do, but the car is moving, and someone has to drive - I'm just asking your permission to break it to the clients."

Beca glanced at Aubrey before responding. "All right, just do what you need to do."

As Fat Amy let the room, Aubrey picked up her phone, dialling the fateful number. Chloe had left a little while ago, but they still need to be in contact with her.

" _Aubrey, this feud is fucking stupid_." Emily's voice wasn't one she expected to hear down the phone. " _I care about you too much to let it come_ -"

"Emily, are you kidding me?" The laptop in front of Aubrey was keeping tabs on which clients had been approached by Beale/Junk. "Leave my clients alone, Emily, find your own."

Aubrey's assistant poked her head around the door, pulling Beca's attention from her laptop. "I called Bob Klepper, he wants to hear from you before he considers staying."

"Oh, dear God." Beca mumbled.

"I wouldn't have bothered you with this, but he's one of Jesse's-"

"-Top clients, we know." Aubrey conceded, running a hand through her hair. "I will see him tomorrow."

The assistant shook her head. "He said today or he'll start making calls."

Beca scoffed, "do ever think we chose the wrong profession?"

"I'll ask if he'll take a call."

Aubrey stopped her. "No, tell him to come in, that's what Jesse would do."

* * *

"So this was all an unfortunate misunderstanding, Dr. Levine?" Chloe was staring Mary Elise down across the table as the latter completed questioning. The defence attorney had gone to the judge and insisted that the redhead's losses weren't enough to delay the deposition as Beale/Junk had proposed.

"Yes. I fired Candace because of performance, that's all."

Mary Elise smiled, "thank you, Doctor. Anything, Chloe?"

Chloe cleared her throat. She was prepared to rip the doctor to shreds. "When was the last time you had sex with your wife?"

Mary Elise rolled her eyes. "Come on, Chloe, relevance."

Chloe shrugged, ignoring the look of confusion from Ashley. "The fine, upstanding doctor said he was happily married, and that's why he didn't fire my client because she was too pretty. I'm just examining the truth of his contention."

"Nope, this is pure harassment." Mary Elise folded her arms.

"When was the last time you had sex with your massage therapist?" Chloe asked, eyes staring at the doctor.

"Okay, that's outrageous."

Chloe shrugged, placing a piece of paper on the table and smiling sweetly at the doctor. "Here's an affidavit from Beverly Jensen admitting you had sex on five separate occasions."

Mary Elise shut her notebook before reaching for the camera. "This deposition's over."

"Let's get the judge on the line." Ashley proposed.

Mary Elise shook her head. "Dr. Levine has a patient, so we're gonna need to delay this after all."

Chloe stood up, anger was beginning to form within her usually happy body. "You're the one who went to the judge insisting the deposition could only be today! So let's get the judge on the line, but I don't think he's gonna be in a giving mood!"

Mary Elise folded her arms, choosing to try and bargain. "What do you want?"

Chloe feigned thought, deciding on her rarely-seen emotion. "I want to get out my aggression and my anger by destroying your client." Mary Elise didn't move. "Now sit down." When the other attorney refused further to move, Chloe's voice rose in volume and anger. "I said sit the hell down."

* * *

"Thank you, Mr. Klepper, for coming in." Beca smiled at the man across from them as she pushed a bowl of M&Ms towards him. "You can understand this has been a difficult day."

"I do, I loved Jesse," he sighed, "he was my lawyer for eight years." He turned his attention towards Aubrey. "Aubrey, how are you doing?"

Beca had managed to wrestle Aubrey into a blouse and skirt in the bathroom, the blonde anything but thrilled about how many times Beca had touched her bandaged hand. "Not good."

He smiled sympathetically. "I'm sorry, thank you for seeing me on such short notice. Let me make something clear up front. I want to stay, but with this product manufacturing lawsuit, I need to know where we stand."

Beca shrugged, "well, Aubrey is best to talk to then."

"So, you'll be able to take over for Jesse."

Beca smirked slightly as she looked at her partner in crime. They'd agreed on two things at the hospital; they were unstoppable, and no assholes. "I am, but instead I'm going to fire you as a client."

"What?" Mr. Kleppler exclaimed.

"You're no longer a client here." Aubrey answered simply, her patience beginning to strain.

"I'm not?" Both women shook their heads, a most definite no. "Uh, I can go to Lake & Tordello."

"Yes, we know that; that's why I talked to them." Beca supplied, she was so done with crappy clients thinking they were the most important factor. "They won't take you."

"They will."

Aubrey scoffed, finding his personality vile. "You honestly think they like how you've handled this entire situation?"

"Beale/Junk solicited me."

Beca nodded, "yes, I know, and I just talked to Emily - she won't take you either. They liked Jesse, respected him, they don't like you."

"Okay, I'll give you a few days - and then we'll talk." Mr. Kleppler tried to reason, his voice gaining an octave.

Aubrey shook her head, "no, you're fired, Mr. Klepper, you don't belong here anymore as a client, we'll transfer your files to your home."

"This is _insane_!" His face was beginning to go red as Fat Amy approached the door, two security guards on hand. "Do you know how much business I bring in here?"

Aubrey tried to look sympathetic, "I do, that's what makes this so difficult."

"It's not what Jesse would do."

Standing up, Aubrey leaned forward, resting her good hand on the table, voice taking a serious tone. "If I were dead, it's exactly what Jesse would do." She turned on her heel and left the room, Beca quick to follow her. When Fat Amy had escorted him to the elevator, Beca held her hand up for a high five. "That felt good."

Beca smiled as they completed the high five. "Turned me on, Posen and Mitchell against the world."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Author's Note: You guys are probably getting tired of the short chapters, and I'm so sorry for that. School is hectic and is my main priority at the moment, so I apologise.**_

 _ **If you read these review replies, you do get insight on how the story will progress sometimes, so I'd do that if I were you.**_

 _ **also: THERE'S SOME STAUBREY**_

 ** _dongu: yessssss :)_**

 ** _JazzTheCookieMonster: thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying it! :)_**

 ** _Star Flowers: here is some Staubrey, you're welcome._**

 ** _Guest (First to review on Chapter 8): Poor Jesse, I know, but Beca and Aubrey are such badasses and I'm sure they'll do just fine without him. However, perhaps Tom's death will rip Aubrey apart? We may never know._**

 ** _jjnovak: denial, possibly? She's Chloe, she likes and wants to see the best in people, not the worst. If anything, she's probably trying to be a good friend instead of a sour one... or she doesn't know it was for six years?_**

 ** _Guest (second to review): fruit of the poisonous tree would have been an amazing argument for the case, and I did consider it. But Judge Politi would only consider it really if Beca were to bring it up, I suppose. But Tom isn't an asshole anymore!_**

 ** _CoffeeAssistant: yeah, pretty cut-throat. Perhaps she will redeem herself, perhaps not. But Posen & Associates and Beale/Junk/Mitchell are two names I've been deliberating on for a while._**

 ** _Tavern Bird: Ding dong the dick is dead. Which old dick? The massive dick. Ding dong the massive old dick is dead! The only people who knew were the named partners of PSM, I'll go back and make that more clear if I get the chance._**

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights  
**_ _09: A Material World._

* * *

"Promise me that if you die before me, you won't let them play Wind Beneath My Wings at my funeral."

Beca chuckled, "so many verses." She looked down at her glass, swirling the contents as they sat at the bar. "Do you think we didn't know him, or his family didn't?"

Chloe's shrug was silent. "Perhaps he changed."

Beca tilted her head to the side as she pondered on the thought. "They said he liked nighttime walks in the snow…"

Chloe smiled softly, fond memories of her college years flooding back to her. "He never cooked either, his family have always been crazy."

Beca smiled, holding her glass of scotch up. "To Jesse."

"To Jesse, a great man who will be sorely missed." Chloe motioned to the bartender for two more drinks before she and Beca moved to a booth in the hotel's bar.

* * *

"My dad was an awful drunk." Beca mentioned, "I promised I would never be like him."

"You're not a drunk." Chloe's slightly drunken state caused her to lean back. "I always wanted to be like you and Aubrey, mainly Aubrey though."

Beca's drunken laugh was louder than usual. "Thanks, Beale, go and find Junkle then." When Chloe's drunken giggles began to fall from the redhead's lips, Beca shook her head. "I was a great disappointment to my father – he wanted me to go into ChumHum, not law. He said Aubrey and Jesse would change me."

"Did they?"

Beca scoffed, "hell yeah, for the better! He's on his fifth wife in ten years."

Chloe lifted her glass to her lips. "My mom thinks I'm a prude – that I should get laid more." Chloe smiled as Beca's phone began ringing in the brunette's bag. "If it's Fat Amy, let me answer it! She'll think we're merging."

Beca shook her head with a chuckle as she declined the call. "The partners look at me like I'm a time bomb, and Aubrey's a gazelle on the savannah."

"She is though, a gazelle with teeth and a family friend whose name is Clinton." Chloe sighed. "We're over-extending."

Beca nodded, "we are too. Less man power, Aubrey's rarely around anymore and New York has taken our top litigators."

"Our top litigator is Jessica; she hasn't even done a law degree!"

Beca settled back in her seat. "Perhaps we should merge…" At Chloe's sudden outburst of laughter, Beca leaned forward and swatted the taller redhead on the arm. "I'm serious, you have family and we have everything else." Chloe wasn't quite buying it though.

"You'd take back ChumHum and then fire us."

Beca shrugged. "We need a new Jesse, we have a vote tomorrow morning – Posen/Mitchell and Associates is likely to be what the partners want." Chloe weighed up the options. "Look, Chloe, I know we're fighting on a million fronts, but we're a national firm now with an international presence. We need another woman on top."

Chloe nodded, holding up her glass for Beca to meet.

* * *

She felt numb, honestly, just watching helplessly at the inevitable breakdown. Her feet were still as she stood in front of the conference room door, looking in at the sight she knew was killing the last two alive.

"All those in favour."

She felt sick at the sight of hands raised in the air, Fat Amy's included.

"All those against."

Two sole hands rose in rejection of the proposal, those of Jesse's two remaining comrades. They were the only remnant of an era. The swallow made Stacie take a step closer ever closer, eyes trained on the injured woman at the table's end.

"Thirty-two for, two against." She could hear the hurt surfacing in Aubrey's voice. "The motion passes."

Stacie's eyes were glued to the piece of paper in her hand – the end of an era.

"Welcome to Posen/Mitchell."

A new era, Fat Amy had decided, a new era for greatness and feminism.

Stacie scoffed as she headed toward the elevator, feminism her ass. She didn't even give Emily a sideways glance as she moved into the elevator.

"Right," the divorce attorney began, looking at her client as they stood in the firm's reception, "divorce lawyer, Fat Amy, she'll try and throw you off, but don't let her, okay?" At her client's sigh, Emily held her hand out. "We have leverage, okay? He isn't your ex-husband until you sign that paper, according to Illinois law he has to wait his six months."

The sound of the elevator doors opening pulled Emily from her pep talk. "He can only get re-married if you say yes." She walked over to Chloe. "You're meant to be having the week off."

Chloe shook her head, smiling reassuringly at her partner in crime. "I won't fall apart on you." She tilted her head to the side. "I thought it was a few months, Aubrey and Tom. It was _**six years**_."

Emily's eyebrows furrowed. "Who told you that?"

"You **don't** want to know."

Chloe followed Emily towards the main conference room, where Fat Amy was already seated at the conference table with her own client.

"Ash."

"Carol."

Chloe exchanged a glance with Emily at their client's pleasantries. "How about we get started." Chloe proposed, the redhead then frowning when Fat Amy smiled.

"Mind if I sit in?" Chloe felt her jaw clench at the voice. "I have nothing else to do with my time." Aubrey joined them at the table, looking across to Emily and Chloe. "Good morning."

Emily softly jabbed Chloe in the rib. "We're willing to compromise."

Fat Amy tapped her pen on the table. "No."

"If Carol grants the divorce we'll be lenient on the pre-nuptial agreement." Chloe's head whipped around – Beca. "Then it's just a question of custody."

"What the Hell, Beca?" Beca let her shoulders slump at the shrill voice. "What the actual hell?"

Turning around, Beca sighed. "Bree, go on holiday, do something – you're stressing yourself out! Recently, any cases you sit in on you don't focus on. Tom died! Go and be the grieving fiancé, Aubrey, seriously." She folded her arms. "Just don't make any insane decisions, okay? Stacie and I are here for you if you need us. Sit in your office, whatever, but I don't recommend you sit in on the class action against Luke."

"Move Beca from her current office to one down…" Aubrey peered around the corner. "There. That a big enough decision for you?"

"Aubrey you can't do that."

"I'm on the infrastructure committee, too bad you're not." Beca watched as her friend walked into her office, promptly slamming the door.

* * *

"I think we can handle shared custody now. Nico is five years old, and we don't want to disrupt his home life. Are we agreed?" Emily looked across the table to Beca, who nodded.

Just as Emily was about to get the papers from her binder, Fat Amy appeared at the table in Beale/Junk's conference room (which had no walls). Emily looked at the Posen/Mitchell head of Family Law and raised an eyebrow. "Hello."

Emily sighed. "Hello, Amy, we're almost settled here."

Fat Amy smiled, looking around the firm's offices. "Good." She opened the laptop, "what nice offices, Emily. Very 1990s T-shirt factory."

"Thanks." The named partner exchanged a look with Ashley.

Fat Amy looked to the Beale/Junk side of the table, "Where's Chloe? I thought she'd want to be here for this."

Jessica perched at the end of the table, eager to see the bitch fight go down. "She'll be here in a minute. What do you have?"

"A nanny cam video." Amy answered simply, finding the file on the Macbook.

Emily sat up straighter as Carol looked at the opposing attorney. "What nanny cam video?"

Amy was still focused on the screen. "The one you and Asher agreed to have installed in your house."

Carol stared at her estranged husband. "What's this about, Ash?"

Beca cleared her throat, trying to cut off Fat Amy before something went wrong. "Uh, Amy. We're decided."

Beca was cut short by the Apple device as it was turned around by Fat Amy. The screen clearly depicted Carol having sex whilst Nico was in the house. Soft moans from the footage caused Carol to explode with anger.

"Oh, my God! You took that of me?!"

Asher shrugged, "you were sleeping with one of my students. What was I supposed to do?"

"You ran off with your nurse!"

Beca glanced at Emily, a silent call for the younger woman to restrain her client. "I didn't run off."

Beca sighed, too late. "What would you call it?"

Fat Amy cut them both off. "I'd call it grounds for voiding your post nuptial – infidelity."

Carol scoffed, staring at the blonde woman. "You're trying to make me the villain?"

"Maybe we should settle this in court." A squabble began at the table, members of both parties yelling and arguing with one another. It was obvious they'd get nothing done. "You want to settle this, you don't want this video shown in court, then take 20 cents on the dollar."

Carol folded her arms. "Like hell I will."

"Then we'll see you in court." The table looked up at Chloe's words, the redhead still in her coat and scarf.

* * *

Stacie stared at the door in front of her, menacing in its entirety. She shouldn't be there, really, she should be helping Fat Amy with the divorce – which wasn't until the next morning, Stacie reasoned internally. The investigator looked back down at the basket in her hand as she knocked on the door, the Chicago winter beginning to get to her.

"Come on." Stacie whispered to herself as she continued to wait for an answer. "Please."

She let hot air fall from her mouth and the door was opened, a blonde woman in her late fifties standing on the other side. "Can I help you?"

Stacie stopped dead – did she have the wrong address?

"Who is it mom?" Stacie peered past the older woman at the voice, shoulders visibly relaxing as Aubrey stepped into view. "Oh, hello Stacie." Stacie held up the basket as Mrs. Posen stepped to the side. "You may as well come inside."

* * *

"The post-nup is clear. Any actual evidence of infidelity by either spouse invalidates the agreement."

"Actual evidence means evidence you can admit." Chloe argued, looking towards Fat Amy.

The Australian rolled her eyes. "Like this footage from Mrs. Mercer's own nanny cam."

Emily stood up too, "excuse me, but Mrs. Mercer didn't even know the nanny cam was there. This evidence can't be admitted."

Judge Adelson held her hand up, "Simmer down, everybody."

Emily ignored this request, choosing instead to continue on the warpath. "The Illinois privacy law specifically forbid videotaping someone in their house without consent."

"Oh, please."

"Please what? Her husband was spying on her." Chloe clarified.

Judge Adelson let her gavel drop. "Who's deaf in here!" When a few mumbled apologies reached her ears she sighed. "Thank you very much. So, the videos are from a nanny cam?"

"It shows clear as day—"

Judge Adelson cut Fat Amy off, "I don't need your testimony, Ms. Wilson, just an answer."

Chloe watched as the judge focused on the blonde. "Yes, Your Honor. They had cameras in locations throughout the house—"

"Not 'they', him. Mrs. Mercer didn't even know they were there." Chloe silenced herself as Judge Adelson raised her hand to signal for silence.

"I don't need yours, either, Ms. Beale. That's what the witnesses are for. Do you have a witness?"

"Yes, Your Honor."

* * *

Stacie watched Aubrey fondly from the edge of the managing partner's bed. She'd began to ponder a long time ago what it would be like if she were to wake up beside Aubrey, get the blonde breakfast and make her coffee. "Morning sleepy head."

Sure, the previous night hadn't occurred in the same way Stacie hoped her nights with Aubrey would occur in the future. But a part of her relished in supporting Aubrey, stroking her hair and holding said hair back when the blonde inevitably vomited. No matter how platonic the night was, Stacie had loved it, and she knew there would be many more like that to come in the future.

As Aubrey began to sit up, Stacie looked to the final item in her 'Help Aubrey' basket – a pregnancy test. Perhaps now wasn't a good time, she conceded, but it was better late than never.

"Did you two talk about a Tom Hamilton Jr. at all, Bree?" Okay, she thought, could have worded that slightly better. "Not to be insensitive, but I just thought it would be a good thing to know; you did blow up in Beca's face yesterday."

"You sound like my mother."

Stacie winked. "I'm hotter."

Stacie had always loved the sound of Aubrey's giggles, floaty and delicate. The blonde's expression quickly turned sour, however. "We didn't use protection… felt there was no need if we were both clean."

Stacie held out the cardboard box. "Just in case."

* * *

Chloe walked in front of the witness stand. "You had no idea your husband bought a home surveillance system?"

"Absolutely not."

Chloe held her pen in front of her. "And that he put cameras all over your house, including in your bedroom?"

"He never said a word." Fat Amy was overflowing with anger from her seat at her own table.

"So you had no idea your private activities were recorded?"

Carol shook her head. "None."

Chloe smiled softly. "And you have an expectation of privacy in your home, especially in your bedroom?"

"Of course I do."

* * *

Stacie simply sat and waited for Aubrey to emerge from the bathroom. She'd handed the blonde a total of eight tests, determined to reach a fair result. She still had no idea what her line of action would be if she got 8 positive results - Tom was dead for Christ's sake.

At the sound of sobbing coming from the ensuite, Stacie stood up. "Aubrey?" She carefully opened the door, eyes falling on Aubrey hugging her knees to her chest, still in pyjamas. Stacie carefully peered at the pregnancy tests beside the blonde.

All but one had the horrifying double red lines.

* * *

"Carol asked me to install the nanny cams." Chloe glanced to her left, eyes following each and everyone of Carol's movements; an explosion now would ruin everything.

Fat Amy nodded, ignoring Emily and Chloe behind her. "And when was this?"

Asher continued holding his hands out in front of him. "Right after our son was born."

"Why did she want them?"

Chloe looked at her notes, Fat Amy's argument was a good one. "She had an emergency C-section with Nico, and she was in bed recovering for a few weeks. And since I'm limited physically, we needed help in the house."

"So, your wife wanted to keep an eye on the help?"

"Yes, that was the plan. But then her mother came."

Carol's pent up anger released itself as she listened to the bullshit spewing from Asher's mouth. "Don't bring my mother into this!"

Judge Adelson sighed. "Mrs. Mercer." Chloe nodded her apologies.

"I'm only saying I bought this high-tech system and she never used it. Look, she champions the use of these things on her mommy blog. It's not my fault if one caught her cheating." Emily sighed, running a hand through her hair.

Fat Amy turned to Carol. "In _**your**_ bed, in _**your**_ house."

Chloe immediately stood up, pointing towards the divorce attorney. "Objection! It's a shared home."

"Only Mr. Mercer's name is on the mortgage."

Chloe folded her arms. "Well that's a technicality."

Judge Adelson let her gavel fall onto the wood. "Okay, thank you. I will decide on this issue in a few hours."

Fat Amy lifted her laptop from the table. "Do you want to see the video, Your Honor?" Judge Adelson, however, simply continued in her movements out of the courtroom.

Emily nudged Chloe on the shoulder. "Nicely argued."

* * *

"What will you do?" Beca looked between Stacie and Aubrey, the latter shrugging. "Look, it's okay Bree, honestly. You're allowed to be pregnant."

"I don't want a Tom Jr. running around the house reminding me of him."

Stacie flipped her notebook open, "there are several adoptions centers."

Beca nodded, "Stacie's right, you can find an adoption agency and a couple who want a child can have him or her."

"I'd never forgive myself, and you know that."

"I think you'd be a kick ass single mom." Stacie inwardly groaned, what a rash and stupid statement.

Surprise was evident on Aubrey's face. "Seriously?"

"Sure," Stacie shrugged, "why not? Financials are fine, I know Fat Amy would enjoy having another Posen legacy running around. You're not getting any younger."

* * *

"I don't know exactly what's on this nanny cam video, but I do know this. The Court's interest in ruling on the viability of this postnup is not as great as Mrs. Mercer's privacy."

Fat Amy cleared her throat. "Your Honor, if I may-"

Judge Adelson shook her head. "You may not. I forthwith enter a six-month separation order. If Mr. and Mrs. Mercer can't work this out over the next half year-"

Fat Amy walked towards the judge, laptop in hand. The pure sight of that fucking laptop made Chloe want to puke. "Your Honor, a new issue has come to our attention."

"Oh, really? Just now? My goodness."

Fat Amy ignored the Judge's sarcasm as she opened the laptop. "My client would like to file an emergency petition for full custody of his son."

Chloe immediately stood up, too walking over to the Judge, "What?"

Judge Adelson quickly dismissed the redhead. "Sit down. On what grounds?"

"Child endangerment."

Emily scoffed, totally bewildered with this new turn. "Carol is the primary caretaker."

Fat Amy shrugged, "that's the emergency. This video will prove that Carol Mercer is an unfit mother."

Chloe swallowed, desperate to save their case. "Your Honor, you already ruled the nanny cam recording inadmissible."

Fat Amy smiled. "Only as to viability of the postnup, but child welfare trumps privacy."

Chloe shook her head. This was ridiculous, the evidence had been thrown out and therefore had no bearing on the case at all. "I'm sorry, Your Honor, but I fail to see even if the video shows what Mr. Mercer contends, how that would endanger their child."

"I'll be happy to show you." The smile on Fat Amy's lips was sinister, as if she knew she'd already won.

Emily joined the other two attorneys at the bench. "Your Honor, this is a ploy. A way for you to see evidence that you already ruled inadmissible."

"Yeah, sorry. But if we're talking about the best interests of a child, I'm looking at everything. The video's admissible. Just don't make a meal of it, Ms. Wilson."

Fat Amy pressed play on the laptop as Chloe and Emily both made their way back to their own table. Chloe instantly put a hand on Carol's knee, "Sit up. And don't look embarrassed, okay?"

Between the passionate moans and grunts that fell from the speakers and swirled within the air in the courtroom, the bedroom door opened. " _Mama_?" Nico was standing at the door, watching.

Judge Adelson nodded, "Okay, got it. I'll hear testimony on Professor Mercer's petition for full custody."

Chloe was determined to follow this case into the dirt, no matter what. "Your Honor, what the video shows is unfortunate, but it doesn't rise to the level of child endangerment."

"The video constitutes a facial showing of irresponsibility on the part of Mrs. Mercer."

Judge Adelson shook her head simply. "I'll hear testimony to the petition tomorrow. Good day."

Just as Chloe was about to leave the courtroom, Beca made her way in, Aubrey in tow. Chloe stopped midway down the aisle, staring the blonde down. "Always nice to see how Posen/Mitchell works, a good six years of work."

* * *

Beca stood at the end of the table in Posen/Mitchell's main conference room. "Thank you both for agreeing to sit down."

Fat Amy leaned back in her chair, popping a blue M&M into her mouth. "Make it quick, I have work to do."

Chloe nodded. "We're prepared to compromise on the divorce settlement."

"We're not."

"Amy, both our clients have been bloodied here, and there's no way to predict which way the judge will go." Beca softly interjected, looking at the Australian who muttered profanities under her breath.

Emily took a piece of paper from her binder. "Professor Mercer will honor the terms of the postnup regarding child support and alimony. In return, our client will grant him a swift and uncontested divorce so he can remarry. It's a win-win."

"Here's my counter." Amy began, "No proceeds for the book, no alimony, massive reduction in child support, or you can get the hell out of here."

"Your proposal is accepted, Emily." Fat Amy scowled as Beca held her hand out for Emily to shake. "As is yours, Chloe, if you wish to proceed with it."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note 2: if I were Aubrey right now, only one word would leave my lips: "shit."**_


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note: DOUBLE DIGITS GUYS!**_

 _ **Only two reviews on last night's chapter, but I suppose it was extremely short.**_

 _ **Guest: Staubrey is my fav ship, I have to admit. Especially in this setting where their private lives are actually quite public.**_

 _ **Tavern Bard: SHUSH SHUSH WE DO NOT TALK ABOUT THE NINE EPISODES LEFT. Also, I feel like Chloe will end up exploding from all the pent up stuff in her mind. Also, let's face it, Stacie would teach Aubrey's kid how to hack metadata at age five.**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights**_

 _10: David and Goliath_

* * *

"This is cool, it's... it's, uh, it's a cool group. People danced, good Christmas Party."

Chloe smiled fondly at the two men, their slight bashfulness in an office of lawyers sweet. "It was your music, it was infectious. Which one of you two should I hand the check over to?"

"Marshall," the taller of the two began, adjusting his square-framed glasses on his nose, "he's the business mind."

Chloe handed the slip of paper over. "Thank you very much for everything, if there's anything we can do?"

Marshall looked up at his bandmate who took the cue immediately. "Well, you guys are lawyers, right? That made us stoked when we booked this gig." Emily walked up to her partner and the duo. "And you take on cases, right, like anyone's cases?"

"Sometimes we do." Emily answered. "Why?"

"We'd, um, like to show you something."

Chloe showed them into the conference room, where Rowby – the taller of the two men – placed his laptop down on the table, playing a song from YouTube. " _But she ain't nothing but a tricky trick, thicky thick, tricky trick. She thicky thick, tricky trick, she thicky thick, tricky trick. She thicky thick, tricky trick. Oh, my gosh, there she go..._ "

Emily raised an eyebrow, "that's Tricky Trick by Rebel Kane."

"He was in prison with my late husband." Chloe mentioned, eyes still glued to the screen. "Are you suing him, Rebel Kane?"

Rowby shook his head, "no, uh, we have the whole thing queued up, hang on…" He pressed a button on the keyboard and another song came onto the screen. "This is us; this is our song."

" _Never satisfied, said he's gonna give me more: hair shop, don't be late... Waitin' on her Section Eight. Sometimes shorty make me sick. But she ain't nothing but a tricky trick. That little mama thicky thick but she ain't nothing but a tricky trick..._ "

Emily frowned looking at the screen, "so you guys covered the song, but you didn't have the rights?"

"No," Rowby began, "we got the rights, we got the, uh, the…"

"Compulsory License." Marshall completed, a definite man of few words.

Rowby nodded. "Yeah, that, Murray got it for us – he's our manager."

Emily sighed, "so what's the problem?"

"Almost there, I promise." Rowby pressed skip once again and another video began playing, this time depicting a group of teenagers in gold tracksuits.

" _Tryin' to get a taste of that brown and brown, uh-uh, she ain't havin' that. Raised in the hood, ghetto fabulous – she kinda look bad, boy, I must admit. But she ain't nothing but a thicky trick. That little mama ain't nothing but a tricky trick."_

"What the actual hell is that?" Jessica jumped atop the edge of the table, "it looks like a 6-year-old's bedroom vomited on that place."

"That is _Drama Camp_." Rowby supplied. "A TV show about a summer drama camp's talent show, it's huge."

Emily closed the laptop. "There's a TV show about a summer camp drama show?"

"Yeah, and it's a hit." Rowby opened the laptop back up again, pressing play. "But that's our song! They're playing our song!"

Chloe shook her head. "It's Rebel Kane's song."

"But that's our melody, that's how we covered it." Jessica took the laptop. "I didn't care, we were gonna let it slide, but that's wrong. There is now way they should be able to do this to small musicians like us."

"Hiring lawyers costs a lot of money guys." Chloe admitted. "This is really a David and Goliath situation – you versus the TV network."

Rowby nodded, still eager. "We know, but you guys do like percentage."

"Contingency." Emily clarified. "If there's a lot of money at stake sometimes we'll—"

"$2.3 million." Emily and Chloe's heads snapped to one another. "Their version has been top of the iTunes chart for eight weeks."

" _Steady screamin' "give me money, money"."_

* * *

Ten hours later, the elevator opened at the reception of Posen/Mitchell and Associates, several attorneys stepping out and onto the carpet. One, particularly pissed, pushed past the others and to the receptionist's desk. "Chloe Beale, please. Rose Posen."

The receptionist swallowed, looking at her computer as Luke stepped behind the youngest of the Posen three. "Yes. Uh, do you mind my asking: Are you one of her clients?"

"I do mind, but I'll answer anyway. I am not one of her clients."

Luke cut his sibling off. "I suppose you could say that I am being sued by her yet again." The receptionist stood up, beginning to move away from her seat as her headset cord pulled against the phone. She smiled bashfully before scurrying off.

Beca looked up from her breakfast as the receptionist knocked on the conference room door, interrupting the Monday morning partner meeting and breakfast. The brunette quickly stood up, moving towards the door. "Yes?"

"Someone's here asking for Chloe."

Beca frowned, "who?"

"Rose and Luke Posen."

Beca groaned. "Jesus Christ, let me get Aubrey."

* * *

"Well, this is now less awkward than I'd imagined." Rose admitted as she and Luke seated themselves in Beca's office. "We heard about Jesse and Tom, our commiserations."

Beca nodded. "Their legacies will always live on."

"She started her own firm then?" Rose asked.

"And Luke went with her." Beca joked. "I'm kidding, for three weeks he was with them, but they ignored his case and went after us."

"It would help if you didn't get sued as often as you currently do – I told you a production company alongside Thief and a stake in ChumHum wouldn't be a good idea." Aubrey mentioned as she entered the office, leaning against the sideboard behind Beca's desk. "How's the LA office doing, Rose?"

"It's 85 degrees there, here it's 35; you tell me." Rose shrugged. "It's good, I'm still a first year, but it's good. One day I'll be the Posen in Posen/Mitchell."

"You'll need to be first chair on a case first; we have plenty of job openings here." Beca leaned back as Aubrey spoke, happy to watch the interactions of the three siblings. "Why is Chloe even suing you, Luke?"

"Copyright infringement," Rose supplied, "you guys know how she works, I suppose, and if she has her own firm I really want to see how you guys take her on."

* * *

"Can I get you guys anything? Coffee, a milkshake?"

"No, thank you." Emily smiled at the man in front of them, Rowby and Marshall's manager. "Um, we were getting our paperwork in line for the lawsuit, Mr. Mills, and as their manager, we see you purchased a compulsory license from Rebel Kane, but for some reason not a derivative copyright."

Murray frowned, leaning over the table. "A, uh, what?"

Chloe smiled. "A derivative copyright. The compulsory rights allow you to cover the song. But the derivative rights protect you if you make changes in that song."

"Oh shit," Murray swore, "I have to get two things?"

Chloe and Emily exchanged a look of anxiety and mild irritation. "I hate when they look at each other like that." Rowby mentioned.

Emily readjusted herself in the chair, trying to remain reassuring. " **You** don't have to get them, but we need the derivative rights to sue this TV show for stealing your cover."

"Look, I was saving money," Murray admitted, "I only bought the rights I needed to. Do you know how much we make every time that someone clicks that song on Spotify? 0.004 cents."

"Well, let's just get the derivative rights." Chloe decided, looking towards Emily. "How hard can that be?"

The younger of the two smiled slyly. "Well, you do know Rebel Kane."

* * *

Chloe looked around the greenhouse Rebel Kane had led them into, a variety of plants lining the walls. They watched as Rebel continued watering his plants.

"Yeah, I don't really know what happened. We just, um, we need a... derivative... copyright." Rowby began, glancing at Marshall before continuing, "Our manager kind of had a little bit of a brain fart, you know?"

Rebel Kane nodded as he squirted his plants with water. "So you need a what, a copyright?"

"A derivative copyright." Chloe completed, "I think you'll remember my husband?"

Rebel Kane nodded. "Yeah, Tom. I'm sorry about his death, Chloe."

Chloe smiled gratefully. "Thank you." She glanced down at her phone, "we wanted to go straight to you, Mr. Kane. Instead of through your label."

"I get it. I was a struggling artist, too. So how much is a derivative copyright?"

Emily sighed. "$5,000, typically."

Rebel nodded, looking at the plants and straightening out some of their leaves. "Look, you name your next song after me, I'll give it to you for free."

"Actually, uh, money has to change hands." Chloe admitted. "Even if it's only five dollars."

"Okay." Rebel shrugged after putting his seltzer bottle down. "Five dollars. Come on, all these plants ain't going to pay for themselves."

"Great, so I will have the paperwork sent over this afternoon." Chloe smiled at the completed deal.

* * *

"Beca wants to merge with Beale/Junk, Bree, you and Chloe need to sort yourselves out." Stacie picked up another vegetable spring roll, taking a bite out of it. "Because it's best for both of you."

"She'll run for State's Attorney, I know she will." Aubrey responded, playing with the hem of Stacie's skirt as she lay with her head in the investigator's lap. "Thank you for coming over though."

* * *

Rose frowned as the elevator door opened, the caging remaining in place until Beca pulled it aside. "You're kidding. This is them?"

Beca shrugged. "Hey, we all started out this way."

Luke shook his head as he walked out of the small elevator. "I didn't. I got a small loan of a million dollars."

Emily finished putting the files out on the conference room table, "they want to settle, right?"

"Oh, yeah." Chloe assured. "Too much of an embarrassment to go to court – they're sending a first year attorney." She smiled over her shoulder as she walked to the elevator. "Ms. Posen, hello. You ready..."

Rose smiled at the redhead, "I believe you know my sister, Aubrey and her partner Beca, I'm Mr. Posen's representation from Posen/Mitchell Los Angeles."

"Emily, Chloe." Beca greeted politely.

Rose looked between the two named partners of Beale/Junk and Associates. "Beca, Aubrey and I have decided to pursue this case together. Shall we?"

Chloe looked at Emily, a sign for the younger of the duo to lead them into the conference room. "This way." Emily mumbled under her breath, turning towards the far end of the offices.

Rose, Luke and Beca followed her without a qualm. "You should get over it."

Chloe looked at Aubrey, trying to keep her eyes from falling onto the small scar on Aubrey's hand, "Get over what?"

"The grudge you have against me, Chloe. **You** betrayed us."

Chloe scoffed, was Aubrey really this awful? "You were sleeping with my husband for six years."

"I was more his wife than you ever were."

Chloe shook her head, "It's just coincidence that we keep opposing each other on cases?"

"Yes." Came the simplified response. Chloe simply watched, waiting for Aubrey to perhaps indulge her with some more information, perhaps an apology. "Chloe, I fell in love with him, I honestly couldn't help that. He told me all about why you two were actually together – his parents chose you for him. Tom's parents knew about me from the start, they liked me. I'm sorry for you having to be dragged through the mud, but I think karma has got me back." Chloe raised an eyebrow in question. "You two could never conceive, I did it without even fucking trying."

Chloe swallowed before walking towards the conference room, trying to accept everything that was happening.

* * *

"Given that Drama Camp stole our client's song..." Chloe began.

" _ **Your**_ client's song?" Rose cut in, looking across the table.

"Our client's _**cover**_ of the Rebel Kane song, we are suggesting 50% of the network's profits. $1.2 million up to this point, and 50% moving forward."

Luke scoffed. "No."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Okay, what's your offer?"

"$800,000," Aubrey stated simply, "with punitive."

Emily's eyes widened. "You're... offering us $800,000?"

Rose shook her head, "no, we're suing you for $800,000."

Chloe looked between the four people opposite her. "You're suing us? How does that work?"

"You stole our client's cover of Thicky Trick." Aubrey clarified. "So we're suing you, 0.004 cents per play leads to you making money from our client's song."

Rowby raised an eyebrow, looking between Marshall and the eldest blonde. "Wait. Are you saying that I'm...?"

Chloe held her hand out, silencing him. "Rowby. It's a negotiating point."

Rose smiled smugly, "No, it's not, actually." She took a piece of paper form within her folder, placing it on the table for Chloe and Emily to see. "This is a derivative copyright from Rebel Kane granted exclusively to Posen Television. You'll be getting your five dollars back."

"No way!" Rowby looked to Chloe and Emily. "What the heck?"

"Our client owns the rights to this song, and we ask that you pay before playing it. And please take down the online video of your client playing our song." Rose looked across the table.

Emily looked indifferent. "No. We'll see you in court."

Chloe leaned closer to Emily, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Uh... Emily, we can't make money on this."

"Yes, we can." The brunette replied.

Aubrey looked at Emily. "Have you rethought your position?

Emily stood up, picking her legal pad up off the table. "We'll see you in court."

* * *

Chloe stood up from her chair, looking at Judge Marx. "No, the question, Your Honor, is one of theft."

Aubrey stood up too, "All derivative... There was no theft here. Again, Ms. Beale is trying to—"

Emily tilted her head in confusion as she stood up. "If there was no theft, then why is the plaintiff trying to change the subject?"

Rose stood up too, "It's not changing the subject to insist on a derivative copyright."

All four lawyers looked to Rowby when he stood up, hand in the air. "Can I get a new chair? Mine squeaks."

Judge Marx looked to a bailiff. "Another chair for Mr. Canton." Aubrey rolled her eyes. "You're asking for a declaratory judgment of non-infringement?"

Chloe nodded, "Yes." She looked towards Luke. "Your Honor, our client may not have the massive resources their large TV network has, but his song was written 13 months..."

Aubrey held up the copyright. "Again, that is simply not true, Your Honor, and it's unfortunate that Ms. Beale has to rely on emotion rather than logic."

"What emotion was I...?"

Judge Marx held his hands up. "Okay, a little less emotion from everyone, please!" He sighed at the three usual suspects of argument in court and then back to Chloe. "You may call your first witness, Ms. Beale."

Chloe pressed the button to play the first video on the monitor as Rowby took his seat in the stand. _"Oh, my gosh, there she go, watch all that when she hit the floor. Little mama got back with her head full of tracks, claimin' other people kids on her income tax. Club hoppin', booty poppin', drama makin', pocket breakin'. Better be paid…"_ Chloe felt her head moving back and forth at the catchiness of the tune, with Emily humming it underneath her breath. On the plaintiff's table, Aubrey was carefully rubbing her temples whilst Rose subtly held her fingers over her ears.

Chloe pressed pause, finding it hard to get the song out of her head. "You wrote this song, Mr. Canton?"

Aubrey stood up, "Objection, Your Honor. Vague."

Chloe's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, "How is it being vague?" She looked towards her ex best friend, the woman she wanted to be like, in disgust.

Aubrey smiled sweetly at Judge Marx. "Are you asking if he wrote the lyrics or the arrangement or the flute part?"

Judge Marx looked over his glasses. "We get it, Ms. Posen. Sit. Your objection is sustained. Just be more clear, Ms. Beale."

Chloe sighed, trying to rephrase the question in her head. "Rowby, when you say you wrote this song, you mean the melody, correct?"

Aubrey stood up again. "Leading, Your Honor."

Chloe held her hands up in disbelief. "You're the one who wanted clarity."

"From him, Rowby, not you." Aubrey clarified. "I just want things to be clear for us all."

"There's no jury, Ms. Posen, just me – I know the law." Judge Marx paused for a moment. "That's an odd objection, I'll admit, but it's accurate. I'll sustain."

Rose leaned over to her older sister, whispering in her ear. "What are you doing?"

"Breaking up her rhythm." Aubrey whispered, smugness clear in her voice. "She hates it more than anything."

Chloe swallowed. "Rowby, who wrote the original song, um, the rap song?"

"Rebel Kane."

Chloe nodded. "And who wrote the tune in this video?"

Rowby smiled proudly. "I did, and the arrangements, and there's no flute."

"Good. Thank you. Now, Rowby. How did it come to you... to cover a rap song this way?"

Aubrey stood up once again. "Objection, Your Honor. Calls for narrative."

Chloe turned around, pointing at Aubrey angrily. "Your Honor, counsel is clearly making trivial objections in order to throw me off my pace."

"Yes, Ms. Posen. Stop it!" Judge Marx sighed. "You may answer the question."

Rowby smiled bashfully. "I don't remember the question."

Chloe sighed, exasperated with the turn of events. "Which is exactly Ms. Posen's intention, Your Honor."

Rose, too, was beginning to get irate, whispering simply, "when do you stop?" To which her older sibling shrugged.

"Now, Rowby, what...? Where were you when...?" Chloe trailed off, unable to formulate the question in her head.

Emily stood up. "How did it come to you to cover a rap song in the way that you did?"

Aubrey stood up, pointing to Emily. "Objection, Your Honor. Which counsel is questioning?"

"Sustained, you may as well stay standing up, Ms. Posen."

Rowby leaned towards the microphone. "Can I answer that question anyway?"

Chloe nodded, running a hand over her forehead. "Sure. Please."

"It was November, 8, 2014. It's the year anniversary of my dad's death, and I thought of thi—this image of Rick Astley doing a rap, and...," he chuckled, "and I thought it was funny."

* * *

Chloe sighed as she and Emily stood outside the courtroom. "You know what she's doing? I told her about my first time in court, how all the objections threw me." She folded her arms, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Yeah, she's using it."

Chloe sat on a bench, "You know how cold that is?"

"Chloe... she's trying to play you, you're doing what she wants, you're being played. She wants you to think how low it is of her, so don't!"

"You're right." Chloe began to walk off.

"Where are you going?"

"If there's one thing Aubrey hates than anything in the world, it's when someone's wearing the same outfit as her." Chloe called over her shoulder. "I'm going to change."

"Is she _**that**_ shallow?" Emily asked.

"Hell yes."

* * *

" _She a drama queen, got the cops knockin' at the door. Hair shop, don't be late, waiting…"_

Aubrey pressed pause, stopping the Drama Camp cover of the song from playing anymore. "And the cover of this song, Thicky Trick, it was of your inspiration?"

"Yes." Luke replied.

"You created the show Drama Camp, so this scene mattered to you?" Aubrey looked at Chloe's empty chair, raising an eyebrow at the redhead's absence.

"Very much." The door to the courtroom opened, "Like many young men trying to find their identity, I was bullied as a kid, so I wanted to create a show that had kids moving beyond the hate." Chloe made her way down the aisle and towards her seat, half paying attention to the answer. "When I was a kid, my dad wanted me to go into the law, but I refused. He only gave me a small loan of a million dollars due to his disappointment in me." Emily scoffed.

"And you…" Aubrey's gaze fell to Chloe. "I... I mean... that's why you covered, uh... Thicky Trick this way?"

"Indeed, I wanted to show how two cultures needed each other." Chloe smiled at the blonde from her place in her seat; white blouse and red skirt identical. "Thicky Trick was a rap song given a white-bread treatment by the white kids, and then we had the African-American kids sing a pop song as a rap."

"Did you steal the cover of Thicky Trick from Mr. Canton?"

"No."

Chloe smiled to herself, she'd taken the blonde's obsession with appearance and turned it into her own advantage.

"And can you explain the similarities in the song?"

Luke shrugged. "Well, I do know that artists are sponges. We take in the same information from the zeitgeist, transmute it into something new. And sometimes there is a best way to do something. Uh, good artists will often duplicate each other because they hit on the best way at the same time."

"I, uh... Good. Good."

Judge Marx was sitting with his head resting on his fist. "Any more questions?"

"Uh... uh... No."

As soon as Aubrey sat down, Rose was staring at her older sister in disbelief. "What was that?"

"Questioning."

Rose scoffed, "No, it wasn't, questioning has a point."

Throughout the sibling's small argument, Chloe had already commenced questioning. "So you're saying the zeitgeist made you do it?"

Rose stood up. "Oh, objection." She folded her arms. "It's argumentative. Misstates testimony. Inflammatory and 12 other objections if you'd like me to list those off."

Chloe turned to Judge Marx. "Which counselor is questioning here, Your Honor?"

Judge Marx nodded. "Yes, Ms. Posen. Please leave it to Ms. Posen to object…" He sighed. "Jesus Christ there's too many of you. Posen the younger, shush, Aubrey, wish to object?"

"Objection. Argumentative."

Judge Marx nodded. "Sustained."

Chloe looked at Luke as she approached the witness stand. "So, you're saying that two artists will hit on the same inspiration at the same time?"

Luke nodded. "I'm saying that they can. And similarity does not constitute theft, similarity is not a crime. That's how our culture develops and grows."

Chloe pressed play on her remote, bringing both videos to play at the same time. _"Oh, my gosh, there she go, watch all that when she hit the floor. Little mama got back with her head full of tracks, claimin' other people kids on her income tax. Club hoppin', booty poppin', drama makin'..."_

"Do you hear any difference between these two songs, Mr. _Posen_."

Luke nodded. "I see two artists covering the same song with similar comic instincts, and that has resulted in similar instrumentation."

"Really?"

"Really."

" _Her baby daddy still try to come around, tryin' to get a taste of that brown and brown. Uh-uh, she ain't havin' that. Raised in the hood, ghetto fabulous. She kinda look bad, boy, I must admit. But she ain't nothing but a thicky trick."_

* * *

"It's my cross." Aubrey insisted, going to stand up.

Rose shook her head, "No, I think it's best that I cross."

Aubrey scoffed. "You seriously think it's best that you cross?"

Chloe played with her pen, rolling it across her pad to Emily in order to score a goal. "Your Honor, does counsel have questions?"

Judge Marx shrugged. "My guess is, they do. Counselors?"

Rose grabbed the file before she stood up. "Mr. Canton. Hello."

"Hi."

Rose flipped over the first page of her notepad, looking at the plan she and Aubrey had drawn up during a recess. "Do you remember what you were doing on October 28, 2014?"

Rowby frowned. "I, uh... no. I hope nothing bad."

Rose frowned. "That was just one week before the anniversary of your father's death, and you really don't remember?"

"No." Rowby shrugged. "Do you remember what you were doing the week before the anniversary of your father's death?"

"No, my father's alive," Rose inserted, "but I didn't speak with such clarity about what I was doing on the anniversary of my dad's death."

"Well, I guess you're a better person than I am." Rowby admitted, glancing at Marshall.

"Would it surprise you to know you were on the studio lot where Drama Camp is shot?" Rose probed, stepping closer to Rowby, who was beginning to buckle at the look the attorney was sending him.

Rowby nodded. "Uh... yeah. I was asked to be a session musician for a commercial."

"So, you were on the lot where Mr. Posen works, where he has his inspirations?"

"Yeah," Rowby leaned forward to whisper into the microphone. "I could feel his glow."

Chloe stood up. "Objection. Mr. Canton was joking with that answer."

Rose smiled sweetly at Rowby. "Were you just joking, Mr. Canton?"

"That I could feel Mr. Posen's glow when I was on the lot where he worked?" Rowby chuckled to himself for a few moments before he actually answered the question. "Uh, yes, that was a joke."

"And did you know that Studio B, where you worked as a session musician, shares a kitchenette with Studio A?"

Emily stood up, "Your Honor," she began approaching the bench, "let the plaintiff present evidence that their client recorded Thicky Trick in that studio, but this is just innuendo."

"No." Aubrey dismissed the idea with the wave of her hand. "All we need to do is show access. We're the ones with the derivative copyright."

"Access does not constitute theft." Emily stated.

"No, but access explains how two artists had the same inspiration." Aubrey reasoned, "Your Honor, we're the ones with the derivative copyright. Can you explain that to Ms. Beale?

Judge Marx banged the gavel twice before speaking. "Considering the evidence presented, it seems clear to me that Mr. Posen acquired the derivative work created by Mr. Rowby Canton."

"Yeah!" Rowby exclaimed.

"But, unfortunately, it doesn't matter. Mr. Canton, your song was an unauthorized derivative artwork, therefore it is not protected." Rowby looked at Chloe and Emily, trying to wrap his head around the events that had just occurred. "And as odd as this may sound, this theft of your work was legal. They have the derivative copyright. You do not. Defendants' motion is denied. Ms. Posen, Aubrey, your suit may go forward."

* * *

"Okay, I don't get… So then we lost?" Rowby asked, looking between the two attorneys in front of him.

"No. Not yet. We're not letting them win." Chloe reassured him, reaching out for her phone. " You were saying you covered the song as a joke, right?"

"Yeah. Like… Rick Astley doing a rap."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "And the joke was what? What made it funny?"

Rowby frowned. "Well, if I have to explain the joke, I mean, it's not a very good joke."

Emily giggled, "yeah, I know. But this is about legal stuff, so just tell me what made it funny."

"Um... well, it's a rap song, and we were singing it like a Rick Astley, you know... like a rickroll."

Reaslisation dawned on Chloe. "You're satirizing the rap song."

"Well, sure."

"Rap songs are usually aggressive and hard, and you wanted to make fun of the lyrics by singing them in a soft way." Chloe finished, writing the relevant clauses down on her legal pad.

* * *

"I'm sorry, what?"

Chloe smiled at Judge Marx. "Rowby's version of Thicky Trick was satire, Your Honor."

Aubrey stood up, straightening out her blouse as she did so. "No, it was a cover."

Judge Marx sighed, looking at Chloe. "And what does satire get you, counselor?"

"It's transformative." Emily said, "It's a transformative artwork."

Aubrey shrugged, "doesn't matter, Your Honor, you already ruled. We have the derivative copyright."

Chloe tried to play her cards right, laying on a slight hint of sweetness to her voice. "Yes, but you also believed that there was an actual theft of Rowby's work. The only problem was Rowby didn't get contractual approval to create a new artwork, right?" At Judge Marx's nod, she continued. "But that doesn't matter. If Rowby satirized Rebel Kane's original work, that makes it protected."

Rowby stood up, "can I just say that I love this stuff? I mean, I don't understand a word you guys are saying, but this is awesome."

"If Rowby's song was a transformative artwork, then an automatic copyright was applied the moment he recorded it, and Mr. Posen's theft was an actual theft."

"Okay, Ms. Beale, you have some room to maneuver here. Prove it's a transformative artwork and I will agree. There is a real theft."

* * *

Chloe, Emily and Rowby all gathered around Jessica's laptop, the investigator having been trying to find any way of proving satire or actual theft of intellectual property. "All right, three different online reviews mentioned a sound at a minute, 23."

Rowby frowned. "Wait, in... in my arrangement?"

Jessica shook her head with a smile. "No, Drama Camp's. But not in the version they eventually sold on iTunes. They had to deliver earlier tracks to the Swedish iTunes."

Emily raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"It's a big market." Jessica answered simply as she moved to pull her program up. "This is the version they had up in Sweden before they could change it."

"Thicky thick tricky trick, she a thicky thick, tricky trick…" Jessica smiled triumphantly at the sound, looking at her boss' response.

"What? I don't get it." Chloe sighed.

"Well, it's on the bass track. Listen." Jessica rewound the song to one minute twenty three before she pressed play again.

" _Thicky thick tricky trick…"_

"Oh, my God," Rowby exclaimed, "it's bowling balls. We recorded it at Murray's work."

Jessica nodded, smiling proudly. "And before they could re-record the tracks, Drama Camp's engineers just recycled yours."

"That's theft." Rowby and Marshall both high fived before Rowby continued. "I mean, I don't care what anyone says, that's theft. That's like breaking-into-my-house and stealing-my-stuff kind of theft. You are awesome!"

* * *

" _Thicky thick, tricky trick…"_

Rose groaned, leaning back in her seat. "I am getting so sick of this song." The five attorneys (Chloe, Emily, Aubrey, Beca and Rose) as well as Jessica, Rowby and Marshall were all seated in Posen/Mitchell's main conference room.

"Here it comes." Jessica and Rowby both smiled as the bowling pins sounded through the laptop's speakers at the same time on both videos.

"Did you hear that?" Rowby asked the opposition's attorneys. "Those are bowling balls hitting pins. And you can see it right there and right there." He placed the two laptops in front of Aubrey, Rose and Beca. "There's my version of the song. You see? Right there, that's my version, and that is Luke's. Bowling ball and bowling ball. They're the same."

"We have the derivative copyright."

Chloe scoffed at Aubrey. "Doesn't give you the right to steal." She leaned across the table. "They stole Rowby's actual track. Then they recorded their own before putting it in the domestic iTunes store. That is theft. Actual theft."

"Prove it in court." Rose threatened, trying to intimidate people the way her sister could. Emily's snigger meant it obviously wasn't working.

"Sure." Emily conceded. "But before you do something to satisfy your ego, I'd check with my client first."

"I'll handle my client, you handle yours." Aubrey said, looking to Rose and Beca.

"You got your hand caught in the cookie jar. You can't pretend the cookie jar doesn't exist." Chloe finalised. "Go and phone Luke."

When Aubrey and Rose left the room, Beca watched the celebrations commence. "I think we just won." Rowby exclaimed. "This feels incredible! I could definitely get used to this. Oh, you did it!" He engulfed Jessica in a hug. "Oh, my God, you're amazing."

* * *

"We should look to merge." Beca mentioned casually as she finished up work on one of her cases, ready to retire for the evening. "Someone with good attorneys."

"Stacie told me, Beca." Aubrey replied, looking at her friend with guilt in her eyes. "I think I ruined that this week, in all honesty. But if we merge with them as is, it's their two vote against out two votes."

Beca nodded, understanding Aubrey's point. They didn't want to lose out on the decisions. "We won't touch their first two years of ChumHum money if they agree to one vote between them and one of their partners for every two of ours."

"Chloe will run for State's Attorney, you know that." Aubrey pointed out as she looked at her salad. "We shouldn't rush into this, obviously. I think that, in court, Rose is better than Emily anyday. Emily isn't ready to be a named partner in a national firm. Head of Family, perhaps, but named partner - no way in hell. We need our balance."

"How's Stacie?"

"What?" Aubrey looked up, eyes settling on the smirk painted across Beca's lips. "Oh fuck off."

"Have you two signed off on your joint lease yet?"

Aubrey threw a piece of chicken at the smaller woman. "Shut up. She's definitely taken the edge off mourning."

"She'd make a great mom." Aubrey shook her head at Beca's ridiculousness, utter bullcrap.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note: QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER: How do you feel about Emily being Pansexual?**_

 _ **dongu:  
haha, that is something**_

 _ **DatChicAnna:  
Chloe will explode so badly at some point.**_

 _ **llvr:  
Aubrey does what she needed to do to get to the top, and that just so happens to be betraying her best friend... whoops?**_

 _ **jjnovak:  
Aubrey pisses me off, and I'm the damned author! Why did I write a character so awful I myself hate her. So you're not alone.**_

 _ **Guest:  
Luke and Rose are my babies, I love having more than one Posen.**_

 _ **easylion:  
Luke is kind of modelled on Trump, but Luke's a democrat, isn't that horrible to everyone, and is likeable. Oh, wait, the only thing Luke and Trump have in common is their loan amounts.**_

 _ **theyellowumbrella:  
I knew there was someone who loved Aubrey no matter how big of a bitch she is!**_

 _ **Tavern Bard:  
I'm sort off following TGW's storyline, but obviously with my own twists (Jesse's death, Aubrey's pregnancy). Shit, to make things fair I need to fuck Beca around in some way.**_

* * *

 _ **WE HIT 10,000 VIEWS OH MY GOSH!**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights**_

 _11: 48 Hour Team_

* * *

Chloe rolled over, looking at the clock beside her bed: 01:32. Her phone was still ringing on the bedside table, unwilling to stop. She reached out, begrudgingly taking the iPhone off the wood. "Hello?"

"Chloe, it's me." Chloe sighed at Emily's voice, she thought it would be something important. "You need to be at Posen/Mitchell as soon as possible – bring toiletries, clothing for 48 hours, and a man's tie."

Chloe paused for a moment. "Emily, what the heck?"

"We have a joint client with them, they have personal, we have business." Chloe groaned. "The client wants both firms there and Posen/Mitchell is more central Chicago." Before Chloe got the chance to reply, Emily hung up, leaving the redhead to get all the things she'd require for the next 48 hours.

* * *

Stacie looked at the house in front of her as she held the phone to her ear. "What's going on?"

"Beca's with the wife now." Came Aubrey's reply, somewhat muffled by an increase in background noise. "Beca, Rose and I are teaming with Beale and Junk, this looks bad."

"It is bad. I'll look for any clues, as soon as the husband gets there call me, I'll send you texts of any incriminating evidence at the crime scene." Stacie hung up her phone, taking a step closer to the house. She was about to continue further when a blonde fell into her view. "Jessica, what the hell?"

Jessica shrugged, smiling half heartedly at her ex-colleague. "I got beaten here."

"This is a Posen/Mitchell case, Jess, you shouldn't be here." Stacie looked at the younger woman carefully, no one stood on her ground and got away with it. "I have this, now leave me alone."

The small argument was cut off by a police detective opening his car door and getting out. "Hey, Stacie, what you doing here?"

The brunette took a step forward, beginning to follow him towards the police tape. "I just got a deposition canceled, I saw your lights." She smiled and lifted up the police tape. "What's up?"

"Homicide in the suburbs, better than Cirque Du Soleil." The detective chuckled.

"Who is it?" Jessica inquired, causing Stacie to silence her with a glare. "Sorry, I appear to be intruding."

"Female, no ID, looks about 20." Detective Johnson looked at Jessica skeptically. "Security guard says it's the babysitter."

Stacie stepped under the tape, being promptly pushed back. "What is it, burglary gone wrong? Come on, it's making me nostalgic." She leaned forward, into his ear. "I got a police scanner at home to keep me company."

A younger officer walked up to the tape, "Hey, S, what's up?"

"Hi, Tony." Stacie smiled, still trying to brush Jessica off from her shoulder. "Just wanted to see the professionals at work."

Detective Johnson shook his head, determined not to let the leggy brunette beat them this time. "Civilians aren't welcome."

Tony scoffed, "what? Come on, Lou, she's a friendly." Stacie stepped under the police tape, Jessica quick to follow. "She scratches our back, we scratch hers."

Detective Johnson let out a strangled sigh, "All right, I've got the security guard in here."

Stacie followed Tony and Detective Johnson inside the house, the Posen/Mitchell investigator glancing at her Beale/Junk counterpart. "Jessica, I've got this, are we against each other or something?"

Jessica merely shrugged as she walked alongside Stacie. "Emily told me to come here, what about you?"

Stacie shook her head. "If they have to ask you to do your job, you're not doing it right. I have connections at the police force."

Stacie stopped beside Tony, looking at the security guard in front of them. The man was of average build, his brunette hair slightly tousled. In some way, he reminded Stacie of Jesse, and that scared her. "The kids were fine; she took them to their grandparents. I said that she should wait for you guys here, that you'd want to talk to her and Mr. Rucker."

Tony took a notebook from Jessica's hands. "This is confidential; Mr. Rucker was with her?"

"No, it was just her." Stacie looked at the coffee table, a small sandwich bag of marijuana upon it. She looked down at her phone, using the swipe feature to send a message to Aubrey.

"I don't see the babysitter's car." Tony commented.

"Who picks her up and drops her off?" Stacie asked, looking at the security guard. "Stacie Conrad, Private Investigator."

The security guard continued to wring his hands together, "Mr. Rucker, the husband."

Detective Johnson pondered on information they'd gathered earlier that evening. "He's like a stay-at-home dad, right?"

"Yes, sir, he just lost his job."

"Do you know where Mr. Rucker is now?" Tony questioned, looking at Stacie.

* * *

"At the movies." Sonya looked between Emily and Chloe, "We get a babysitter on Thursday evenings so my husband can take the night off. Otherwise he's home all day."

"Have you been in touch with Jason yet?" Chloe asked.

Sonya shook her head. "No, no." She was nervous, her hands wringing together. "I mean; I've been trying his cell."

Emily nodded, understanding of the situation she was in. "Okay, could you write down his number?"

Sonya took the Post-It offered by Emily, beginning to write the digits down. "You don't think they'll think Jason?"

"We have to prepare for everything." Chloe handed the Post-It over to Rose, who dialed the number as she left the room.

"Hi, you've reached Jason Rucker, please leave a message."

Rose handed her phone over to Aubrey, who held it to her ear. "Mr. Rucker, this is Aubrey Posen, I'm a partner at the law firm that represents your wife. When you get this message, would you give me a call? It's extremely important."

Beca looked down as her phone vibrated.

 _ **Stacie Conrad: POT FOUND AT SCENE.**_

* * *

Stacie followed Tony through the house, tucking her phone in her outer pocket where she was filming. "Struggle here, here." She looked at Jessica, who seemed slightly in awe at the situation. "Blood spray, crenellated. More struggle, more defensive spray. Handprint on the wall." He stopped, bending down and picking up a piece of rubber between his glove covered fingers. "What's this?"

"Looks like the rubber nub from under a laptop." When both officers looked at her, Stacie merely shrugged. "Just a guess."

They turned a corner, all stopping at the body on the bathroom floor. "Oh, boy."

* * *

"Is that the babysitter?" Beca held a small photograph in front of her, whilst Rose sat to her side, both of them facing Sonya.

Sonya looked at the photograph, merely nodding. "Yes, Lisa Pruitt. She was in my bathroom."

Rose nodded, looking to Aubrey who had just entered the room. "I'm sorry to ask this, Sonya, but our investigator on the scene is saying there was marijuana." At Sonya's swallow, Rose looked down at her legal pad. "Did Jason smoke pot?"

"No." Sonya dismissed instantaneously, "in college." As the elevator doors opened, Beca led Sonya down to the lobby. "Jason!"

Jason's eyes widened as he was pulled into a bone crushing hug by his wife. "What's wrong? What happened?"

Aubrey took a step closer to him. "Mr. Rucker, do you have a second?"

* * *

Detective Johnson shook his head as he knelt beside the body. "It's not a knife, those aren't deep enough for knife wounds." Stacie looked over him, trying to picture the living room. "Looks like a blunt instrument."

"Maybe it's something from the bedroom." Tony theorized.

Stacie rolled her eyes. "Check the fireplace poker downstairs, it's missing."

* * *

Jason frowned. "But I just saw her."

"You just saw her, the babysitter, when you picked her up?" Aubrey asked, looking at Jason as he sat in one of the conference room chairs.

"Yes." Jason insisted. "I picked her up at her dorm and I drove her to- I'm in trouble. I'm the last one that saw her." He ran a hand through his hair, looking to Aubrey, Emily and Chloe. "They'll suspect me?"

"Yes." Aubrey conceded.

"Oh, my god." Chloe placed the tie on Jason's lap. "I need to go to the police, don't I?"

Aubrey shook her head, her messy bun bouncing gently. "I just spoke to them." Jason looked between the three attorneys, their yoga pants, sweats and jeans not exactly what he'd envisioned they'd be wearing. "I agreed to surrender you in the morning, but these first few hours of an investigation are always the most important."

Chloe sat beside him. "Anything can be misinterpreted."

"Won't my coming here be misinterpreted?" Jason asked, looking like a deer in the headlights as opposed to a murderer.

A small sigh escaped Aubrey's lips. "Unfortunately, it's a risk we're going to have to take.  
This early in an investigation, it's all about leverage. You have the right to remain silent, so our leverage is how much access we allow the police."

Rose leaned against the doorframe. "They want more, we want less, so we're the gatekeepers to you."

The younger Posen winked at Emily before she disappeared from the doorway, causing Aubrey to suppress rolling her eyes. "We're going to have you take a polygraph, Mr. Rucker. It's not about truth or innocence."

"I'm sorry, a lie detector test?" Jason's eyebrows were knitted together in thought.

"Yes, I need information so I know how much to let you talk versus how much to keep you silent." Aubrey paused as her phone rang, the blonde smiling to herself as she saw Stacie's name on the caller ID. "Yeah Stacie?"

Stacie watched as police cars sped away from the house. " _They're on their way to you now, they're not going to wait till tomorrow_."

"How long?"

Stacie ran a hand through her hair, pondering what timings to give her boss. " _20 minutes from here, but if they send someone from central, 10_."

As Stacie promptly hung up, Aubrey looked to the CIA Affiliate conducting the polygraph. "You have 15 minutes." Aubrey motioned for Chloe and Emily to follow her into her own office, closing the door so Sonya couldn't hear. "Have either of you done one of these before?"

Chloe shook her head. "We haven't, honestly."

Aubrey smiled slightly to herself, at least this meant she could be in charge. "In about five minutes the police are going to burst through those doors. I need you to be on for the next 48 hours, that's how long they have to charge him with murder or release him." Chloe swallowed and looked to Emily, her partner seemingly distracted by the youngest Posen, Rose sitting in the corridor beyond the glass with her laptop and a box of files. "It's now going to be the most crucial 48 hours of his life; if they charge him, bail's a long shot and he could spend a year in prison before he comes to trial. Even if he's found innocent, That's a year of his life gone, so these 48 hours are gonna be like a mini-trial."

Chloe nodded her understanding. "So, we're going to get the cops to look somewhere else and get him released?"

"That's the plan." At the sound of commotion coming from the main reception area, all three attorneys made use of their chosen apparel - Nike running trainers a popular choice - as they ran to where Tony was standing. "Come on, I thought we had an agreement."

"Sorry, Posen." Tony smiled smugly at Aubrey and walked over to Jason. "Jason Rucker." He stood by and watched as other police officers handcuffed Jason. "Mr. Rucker, you are under arrest for the murder of Lisa Pruitt. You have the right to remain silent." Beca directed Sonya away from the sight. "Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you can't afford an attorney, one will be appointed to you."

Aubrey looked down at her phone, 2:16. "Okay, here we go, 48 hours."

* * *

Several hours later, when the light was natural and from the sun, not a lamppost, Stacie looked the security guard up and down, her usually kind eyes full of irritation. "The panic alarm was triggered from inside?"

The security guard nodded, "yes, ma'am."

Stacie wrote this down, as well as taking a picture of the page and texting it to Aubrey. "The alarm wasn't triggered from someone breaking in, it was triggered from someone already in?" She looked up from her notes, noticing a young woman out of the corner of her eye, a young woman who was looking at the guard uncomfortably.

"That's why they're thinking the husband did it, because he could disarm the system."

Stacie hummed to herself. "And who else can disarm the system?"

"Who else, besides Mr. Rucker?" Stacie simply nodded, her irritation becoming clearer with every second that ticked by. "Well, the housekeeper and Lisa the babysitter."

"Miss Pruitt?"

"Yeah." Stacie snorted. "What?"

"You said 'Lisa'." Stacie accused.

The guard shrugged, not seeing anything wrong with that. "Yeah, Lisa Pruitt, why?"

Jessica's interest became peeked, "What's the housekeeper's name?" She asked from the hood of Stacie's SUV.

He shrugged, "I don't know."

Stacie smiled. "But you know Lisa's."

"I try to be observant, so what?"

"Selectively observant." Stacie decided. "Like when my boss is selectively observant about who she sees despite the fact I've been _**not so subtly**_ in love with her for **four fucking years**!"

Jessica blinked at Stacie's outburst, was everyone at Posen/Mitchell absolutely fucking nuts? "You can also disarm the alarm system. It's not just the housekeeper and Lisa the babysitter, is it?"

"I don't think I need to answer your questions."

Tony chuckled. "You don't need to answer any more questions."

Stacie rolled her eyes at the sound of his voice. "So Did you find the murder weapon?"

Tony smiled, "the poker? Right outside the door, where the husband dropped it."

Stacie scoffed. "And how does that play, Tony?"

The police officer shrugged, "he lets himself in, tries to rape her, she resists, he kills her.

Steals the missing red purse, triggers the alarm on the way out, make it look like a burglary."

Stacie appeared to ponder on the thought for a moment. "See, I'm liking the security guard."

Tony groaned. "You're such an _**unbiased**_ observer."

Stacie winked at him before falling into story mode. "Guard sees the babysitter, wants her, lets himself in, disarms the code, tries to rape her, she resists, steals her pretty red purse, triggers the alarm on the way out to make it look like a burglary."

Tony folded his arms. "Husband lost his job as a cartoonist two months ago. Now he sits at home playing Mr. Mom while his wife's making an internet fortune. That hubby needs to reassert his manhood." Stacie choked on the water she was drinking, spitting it out on Tony's shoes. "Listen, I'm all for dime store psycho- analysis if it helps me close a case."

Stacie turned around, "Just keep an open mind for the security guard."

"My mind is as open as a field of poppies."

* * *

Chloe looked at Jason as they sat in the interrogation room. "You were at the movies?"

Jason nodded, "Yes. Legend of Condor Hero. It's a wuxia movie."

Chloe frowned, "A wuxia?"

Jason shrugged. "Wire fu, Chinese flying."

Emily looked up from her phone, Chloe frowning at the name topping the thread of texts. "Oh, like crouching tiger?" Jason gave the youngest attorney a funny look. "Sorry."

Jason looked at his hands. "They play them on Thursday at Armour Square, Chinatown."

Chloe nodded to herself, "you have the ticket?"

A moment of silence echoed through the room, leaving Chloe to mentally sigh. "No, I threw it away."

"You?" Chloe paused, closing her eyes to compose herself. The idea of only 48 hours was really beginning to get to her. "So we're gonna have to find someone who saw you there."

Chloe turned around, looking out of the small window that showed the rest of the police station. "I showed you his lie detector test." Chloe smiled at the sight of Aubrey doing what she does best, arguing.

Detective Johnson rolled his eyes. "A partial test **you** conducted, Aubrey."

Aubrey scoffed, picking a random file off his desk and flicking through it. "By a top CIA polygraphist, he was passing with flying colors."

"Then let me question him," Detective Johnson insisted, taking the file from between Aubrey's fingers. "Aubrey, you know you can't have it both ways. I know Tom would dismiss cases when he was against you, but the new guy won't even let that enter his mind."

A sigh. "You can question him, with conditions."

Johnson shook his head. "I could charge him right now."

"Then do it." Aubrey challenged, "What's stopping you?" Johnson looked down at his desk. "You don't have enough evidence." She smiled smugly, knowing full well the ball was playing to her side. "I want two of my lawyers to stay with him at all times, they have the freedom to consult him with the camera off. And I want 15-minute breaks every hour."

Detective Johnson rolled his eyes. "No food?"

"Pizza." She looked down at her phone. "In one hour."

* * *

"He is a little creepy." The young woman conceded, looking between Jessica and Stacie, the former being the one who had asked about the security guard. "Walks around like he's saving the neighborhood." She glanced over at him as he got into his security van. "You know what? We had a break-in right after he started six months ago."

Jessica looked up from her notes. "What did they take?"

Their witness frowned. "That's the thing. It was just some money from our bureau, some clothes from my closet and popsicles."

Stacie looked to Jessica, "popsicles?"

"I think he did it, just so he could come and take a report, you know? Same thing with three other houses in the neighborhood." She shuddered. "It's just creepy."

* * *

"Then what did you do?" Detective Johnson asked, looking at Jason. Chloe and Emily were flanking him either side, the two attorneys occasionally looking to Aubrey who was leaning against the wall straight in front of them.

 _ **Stacie Conrad: SECURITY GUARD A CREEPY STALKER**_

"Well, I dropped her at the house." Jason answered, as if it were obvious. "I made sure she had my cell number, then I went to the movies."

Aubrey looked up from her phone, "Did you see the security guard anywhere?"

"Sure." Jason answered. "He's always around."

Aubrey nodded, continuing before Detective Johnson could get a word in. "Did you see him around when you dropped off Lisa Pruitt?"

Jason frowned. "I guess…"

Detective Johnson rolled his eyes. "Yes, thank you, Ms. Posen, we're following all leads."

"Really?" Aubrey asked, only receiving a nod in reply. "Because I know you have an unoccupied interrogation room."

* * *

"She was selling drugs. I bet it was a drug deal gone bad." Stacie looked at the corridor of students around Lisa's former dorm room.

"Come on, you don't know that."

The boy scoffed. "I knew her better than you did." He paused. "Look, I think it was that guy from the neighborhood where she babysat, she always said he was a nuisance."

Stacie took a step closer to them whilst Jessica continued talking to another student. "Excuse me, but do you guys have a minute?"

The girl shook her head. "Sorry, I have to go to class."

As she began to walk away, the boy called after her. "Hey, I'll see you after comp, okay?" He looked back to Stacie, his curly hair unruly and black on his head. "So, are you a cop?"

Stacie shook her head. "Nope, homicide." She smiled at him. "Would you mind, please?" He led her into a small space in the corridor. "What you were saying about Lisa Pruitt's babysitting, she ever mention anything to you about a guard?"

"No, no." He adjusted his backpack on his shoulder. "It was the dad that she was working for. What's his name? Burkle, or Rucker." He shrugged, "She said he was getting too close, making her uncomfortable. They're working on something together, a project, and she said she was gonna quit." Stacie wrote this down. "So, Do you want me to make a statement or something?"

Stacie pulled out her phone. "Look, um, not right now, but maybe you and I could meet up later, and I could take it down then."

* * *

"So, you threw away your ticket stub." Detective Johnson's glare wasn't forgiving. "Is that it?"

"Yes."

"And this Chinese movie, what was it about?"

Jason shrugged, "Legend of the condor heroes?" He looked at Chloe briefly before averting his eyes back to Johnson. "It's about two sons learning martial arts in Mongolia."

"Sounds exciting, you know Chinese?"

"Chinese?" Jason asked, Johnson nodding. "No."

"Then how did you understand it?"

"I use subtitles, everyone there uses subtitles." Jason defended, and Chloe could've sworn she heard his voice rise an octave.

Detective Johnson raised an eyebrow. "That's odd." He took a piece of paper out from his file. "You see, normally there are subtitles. But last night, there wasn't any."

"Let's take a break for a second." Aubrey cut in.

Detective Johnson smirked. "Let's do that, Ms. Posen."

 _ **Stacie Conrad: Aubrey, she wrote for some weird project - she wanted to leave.**_

As he went to stand up and leave, Chloe nodded to the video camera at the end of the table. "Detective? The camera." Detective Johnson turned the device off before he made his way from the room.

"It has nothing to do with this." Jason was automatically on the defensive, causing Aubrey to place both her hands on the table and lean over.

"You don't seem to understand." Jason swallowed. "Decisions you make now, you'll regret for decades if you don't make the right one." Aubrey stood up again, running a hand through her hair. "Look, I-"

Jason cut her off. "You don't know what it's like to be out of work, to be stuck at home!"

Chloe frowned, "I do, so tell me."

Jason leaned back in his chair, running a hand over his chin. "I have a place to work, to do... I do graphic novels, I'm not being paid."

Chloe nodded. "And you do this work at an office? That's where you were? You weren't at the movies?"

"It's just a studio to draw." He insisted, looking between the three women. "It's nothing, it's the size of a closet."

Aubrey tilted her head to the side in thought. "And Lisa Pruitt was working with you? Our investigator is talking to a friend of Pruitt's, she did some writing for your graphic novel?"

"Were you sleeping with her?" Emily asked. When she got an irritated look she merely shrugged.

"No." Jason said.

"What's in the studio? What's in there that the police might misunderstand?" Chloe probed, trying desperately to work out how to hide this.

"I don't know."

"Has she been there? Has Lisa been there?"

"Yes. Once."

* * *

"Looks like your client had a little love nest, just found out about it on the victim's computer." Stacie rolled her eyes at Tony.

"You know the security guard had priors for selling dope? And a hero complex." The investigator countered.

"That's fascinating." Tony's voice was laced with sarcasm. "Keep on that."

Stacie folded her arms. "There are three unexplained burglaries in the last six months. All on the same nights the security guard worked."

* * *

"I just sent Chloe off to check it out." Aubrey continued pacing the conference room back at the firm, the managing partner having become confident that she could leave Emily alone.

Stacie sighed through the phone. " _She's got about ten minutes._ "

"Okay, bye Stacie." Aubrey promptly hung up, calling Chloe instead.

* * *

" _Chloe, where are you_?"

Chloe had her phone balance between her shoulder and ear as she looked for the key. "I'm Looking for the key." She paused, "didn't he say it was on a pipe?"

" _Yes_ ," Aubrey began, " _and, not to put too much pressure on you, but the police are on their way_."

Chloe stood still, that was definitely putting pressure on her. "On their way here?"

" _Yes, they're about ten minutes behind you._ " She could hear the flipping of papers in the background, as well as boxes being shuffled around - the office was on emergency mode. " _It's not a crime scene, so you're fine to inspect and take anything you want_."

Chloe slid her hand behind a pipe, eyes widening to anime size at this information. "Anything I want? What are we saying is in there? I have the key."

Aubrey sighed. "I don't know what you're going to find in there, but until the police declare it a crime scene, you can preserve, for our uses, anything you find."

"Has Jason said anything?" Chloe unlocked the door, looking around the small studio apartment. Artist tools were scattered everywhere, with a dozen Copic Sketch markers on the floor beside the door.

" _No, but the police could misunderstand something they find and Stacie thinks the security guard is heating up._ "

Chloe nodded her understanding, picking up a pile of papers. "Here's something she wrote: a short story."

Chloe could hear the approval of several attorneys. " _Okay, I think we could use that_."

Chloe then moved into the bathroom, looking at a hairbrush. "There's a blonde hair in a brush."

" _Is it a long hair_?"

"Yes."

" _Take it._ "

Chloe put the hairbrush and pile of paper in the bin, then taking the bin bag and placing it in her bag. "No hair in the drain." She looked up. "There's a bra on the towel rack." She grabbed that, too, shoving it in her bag as the sound of sirens filled her ears. "One second." Chloe moved to the window, mentally swearing as three police cars were positioned outside. "They're here."

She shoved her phone into her pocket before she ran out of the apartment. She locked the door and placed the key back where she'd found it before running down the corridor. Just in time, it seemed, as several pairs of footsteps ran up the stairs. The police officers pushed their way into the apartment as Chloe made her way out of an emergency exit.

" _Are you alright_?" Chloe wanted to smile, Aubrey actually sounded concerned.

Chloe bent over, trying to recover her breath. "I think so.

" _You were well within the law_." Aubrey reassured her.

"' _Well_ ' Aubrey?"

" _You were within the law."_ Chloe sighed at Aubrey's words. " _I know it feels like we're playing a game sometimes, but we're not here to pursue the truth. We're here to defend a client."_

"And if he's guilty?"

" _Then, he's guilty."_ Aubrey conceded. Chloe could hear the blonde's shoes hit the floor. Aubrey was, no doubt, being constrained to her office by Beca. _"Truth is above our pay grade."_

"Who's with Jason now?" Chloe asked.

"Emily is, take a few hours off. Get some lunch or something." When Chloe went to protest, Aubrey merely hung up on her.

* * *

Stacie sat down on the sofa beside Aubrey, the latter nursing a cup of coffee between her hands. Stacie nodded to the opposite office, where Beca and Rose were with Sonya. "She telling her?"

"Yep." Aubrey replied.

Stacie sighed, stealing the cup of coffee and taking a sip of it. "That can't be a fun conversation."

Aubrey shook her head - nope.

Beca held her hands out in fustration. "Why do you not look surprised? You knew he had a studio!"

Sonya shook her head. "No, but every marriage runs on a few secrets, Beca." Beca paused. "Look at Chloe and Tom's marriage, per example." Beca swallowed at the six year secret across the office from her. "Men need their caves."

Rose frowned. "Did you know he was working with her on writing a graphic novel?"

Sonya shrugged. "I knew something. It's been hard for him since he's been out of work for me to be the one earning the money."

Beca bounced her pen against the wood of her desk. "Did you ever think that he and Lisa?"

Sonya held her hands up in disbelief. "Why do I suddenly feel as though I'm under suspicion?"

Rose sighed. "Sonya, the question is going to be asked. If there's something that you want to tell us, now is a good time."

"No."

Beca sipped her own cup of coffee, caffeine being the main energy supply for many of the attorneys. "Well, then, is he innocent?"

"Yes, he's innocent of **that**."

Rose ceased typing on her laptop, her CV on the screen. "But what about sleeping with her." Sonya remained silent. "He's not innocent of sleeping with her?"

"I don't know!"

Beca stood up, "Is there Sonya - I hate to do this, but Jason isn't being up-front with us - is there anything that would lead the police to believe that he is guilty?"

Sonya sighed, casting her mind back to their bedroom. "There might be."

* * *

Stacie held the phone to her ear. " _She set up a nanny cam in the living room to see if her husband was sleeping with the babysitter._ " Beca sounded pissed, more than anything.

Stacie scoffed as she stood outside. "Would've been helpful to know."

Beca chuckled. " _More secrets than Hillary Clinton here."_ Stacie chuckled, peering through a window. " _It's in a digital clock on the end table._ "

Stacie hummed her confirmation when she saw the clock. "I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get in."

Beca looked across the office. " _Sonya says there's a key under the mat by the front door._ "

"Right, let me see what I can do." Stacie paused, picking up a piece of paper with a delivery time on it. "Does she have a laptop case with her? When you get a chance, check and see if one of the rubber nubs on the bottom is missing."

Beca scribbled that down on a piece of paper. " _Any particular reason_?"

Stacie shrugged. "The police think it was used to knock out the babysitter."

* * *

"How's he doing?"

Beca looked at Sonya, her expression blank. It had almost been 24 hours since Jason's arrest, and tensions were beginning to run high. "You don't want to know." Beca looked down at her Post-It note. "You were at the office all night until you got a call from security about the silent alarm?"

"Yes." Sonya answered, caught slightly off guard. "Why?"

Beca looked at her, dead in the eye. "You didn't go home before that?" Sonya simply shook her head. "Our investigator checked the nanny cam, it hadn't been turned on."

"I must have forgotten that day."

"We thought only four people could disarm the security alarm, Jason, your housekeeper, the babysitter and the security guard, but we forgot, you could, too." Beca made clear as she moved to her desk. "We found a notice of a failure to deliver a package to your house. Our investigator checked with the company. You signed for a delivery at 7:30 PM, when you said you were at work."

"I didn't do it."

"Okay, so what were you doing at home?"

Sonya sighed, "I was jealous. I thought Jason was sleeping with her, I came home to surprise them. He wasn't there. She was there, reading to the girls." Sonya shook her head, "I left embarrassed, intent on never being jealous again."

Beca nodded. "Can I check your laptop?" When she picked up the Apple device, she frowned. All 4 rubber pads were intact.

"Tired?" Beca smiled at Aubrey, the blonde curled up on the sofa.

"Tired doesn't even begin to describe it." Aubrey sat up, rubbing her eyes slightly.

Beca nodded. "Okay, so here's what we need to do: build a Chinese wall."

Aubrey nodded. "Yep, and you can't tell me what she said, complete separation."

"You represent Jason, I represent her." Beca clarified. "Each has a strong motive, and in about 12 hours, one of them is going to be charged. We can't talk to each other anymore."

Aubrey nodded, "Good luck."

"You, too." Beca pulled her best friend into a hug, a piece of physical contact she didn't often carry out. "One of us is going to come out the winner tonight."

* * *

Chloe slipped out of the interrogation room, quickly finding Aubrey (she was sure that was Aubrey's seventh cup of coffee). "Her lawyer wouldn't tell me anything, except they work matching pregnant women with adoptees."

Aubrey immediately walked into the interrogation room. "Detective, I need you to stop interrogating my client and step out."

Detective Johnson didn't move. "I was just asking a question."

"You can finish later." Detective Johnson then stood up and turned off the camera before he left the room. "You got her pregnant. She was at your little studio, and you got her fucking pregnant you absolute idiot!"

"What? No… Aubrey I didn't."

"She went to a law firm for adoption." Jason's eyes widened. "Tell me now because they're going to find this out during an autopsy. You got her pregnant."

"No, I couldn't have."

Aubrey shook her head. "She was at your studio."

Jason held his hands up. "I know, but I didn't get her pregnant."

"Tell me the truth Jason before I demand they charge you." Chloe and Emily exchanged glances, Aubrey working on coffee and a half hour nap was obviously not someone to mess with.

"Aubrey, I couldn't have gotten her pregnant. I had a vasectomy."

* * *

Stacie smiled at Lisa's friend as she followed him back to his dorm. "Hey. I was wondering when you were coming back for that statement."

Stacie nodded, "Yeah, I'm sorry I'm so late. A couple more questions came up about Lisa Pruitt." The boy nodded as he sat down on his bunk, pulling his trainers off. "She ever mention anything to you about being pregnant?"

He looked up. "Who said that?"

"Oh, her lawyer." Stacie looked through her notebook. "She was contacting a law firm about putting a baby up for adoption."

"Yeah, she told me."

Stacie hummed to herself. "She say who the father is?"

"Who she babysits for, Rucker." Stacie raised an eyebrow. "That's why I think he did it, killed her. He wanted her to have an abortion, she said no."

"Did she tell you that?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah, he didn't want to be pinned down."

Stacie pretended to write his statement down. "You know, this is all very helpful."

"You want me to say the same thing to the cops?"

"Yeah." Stacie's eyes moved to his laptop, one of the rubber dots missing.

* * *

Stacie looked between Beca, Aubrey, Chloe, Emily and Rose. "The kid from the dorm was right about the motive. But, it was just his motive, not Jason's."

"She wouldn't get an abortion?" Beca asked.

Stacie nodded. "They argued, and he killed her."

Chloe frowned. "How did Lisa's bra get in Jason's studio?"

"Jason gave her the keys, and her and Max would go there when he wasn't around. At least that's what Jason said." Stacie finished, smiling at the lawyers before walking off.

Chloe hummed to herself. "Working together wasn't so bad, but we ought to head back to our own offices." She took Emily by the arm and gently dragged her away from the youngest Posen sibling. Rose quickly went off to find another case to work on, leaving Beca and Aubrey looking into Beca's office, where Sonya and Jason were arguing.

"They don't look so happy, do they?" Aubrey commented.

Beca shook her head. "I don't understand marriage, it's a mysterious institution."

Aubrey looked to the brunette. "You never wanted it?"

Beca raised an eyebrow. "Is that a proposal?"

"Yes." Beca snorted at Aubrey's sultry tone. "I've been watching you from afar."

Stacie leaned against the conference room wall, watching the two interact. "Maybe one day, Stacie." She reassured herself.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note 2: Emily/OC is a ship that's set sail.**_


	12. Chapter 12

_**Author's Note: Here we are again! What would a TGW inspired fic be without an embodiment of Will Gardner? Huh?**_

 _ **Guest:  
**_ _ **Stacie is so in love with Aubrey it's insane. My babies.**_

 _ **DatChicAnna :  
Well, here's some drama.**_

 _ **BallSoHard:  
There isn't a pairing quite like Bechloe's situations in TGW. And I will schedule in Chloe's explosion soon.**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights**_

 _12: The One Percent_

* * *

"The Paisley Group already leads the other Fortune 500 companies in the global and industry trend toward consumer use of green products, while providing competitive advantages in efficacy and safety." Chloe looked at the man of generations before her own. "Now, this doesn't mean-"

" _Not now, not ever!_ "

Chloe shifted in her seat at the sound of the protesters outside the large building. "Ah sounds like our protester friends agree with us, now is not the time for brunch. In short, the merger of our two great companies will ensure our competitive edge." Chloe looked across the boardroom, one butler acting slightly suspiciously. "But more important, for the pension funds you manage. It'll mean a greater return on your investments. Now are there any questions?"

"Mr. Paisley," a member of the brunch began, "how much domestic workforce would you anticipate shedding as a result of this merger?"

James Paisley chuckled. "You sound like one of the protesters out there." At the sound of a chuckle through the room, he continued. "Regrettably, it could be as much as twenty percent. We're gonna hope to hold to that line."

"What about the wrongful termination suit by your former CFO?" Another asked.

Chloe sat up straighter in her chair. "Well, I'm not stupid, I'll leave that to my lawyer."

Chloe stood up and walked towards the small podium at the front of the room, flanking Mr. Paisley. "Yes. We're confident that this suit has no merit-"

"He's claiming he was fired because he was gay."

"Yes." Chloe began, "He's claiming that." Jesus Christ she sounds like Aubrey. "Kyle Musset was fired for cause. He was attempting to sell trade secrets to a competitor."

"If the suit drags on it could hang over the stock price." Another worried investor cut in.

"Well, we're in negotiations now and we're confident that this suit will set-"

"Down with corporate imperialism!" A cream pie was promptly pushed into Mr. Paisley's face, some of the filling splattering onto Chloe's dress.

Mr. Paisley chuckled, "Didn't I tell you this was gonna be fun?"

* * *

Chloe walked through the small square footage of their firm, straight into the conference room. "Lindsay, can you get my sweater from my desk?" She paused. "Aubrey, are we ready to put this to bed?"

Aubrey smiled. "I'm ready for court, I think we just honor our trial date tomorrow." She paused. "My God Chloe, what happened to you? Or is that, uh, another design choice? Like your lack of doors."

"It was a mishap." Chloe grabbed her sweater from her assistant, shrugging it on. "We, uh, considered your client's latest demands and, um, our top offering is $140,000."

"We'll take our chances in court, Chloe." Chloe nodded, beginning to walk off. "He was fired because he was gay, how's that gonna go over with your fund managers - how's that going to go over with your partner?"

"Like extortion." Chloe countered, sure, she wasn't as tall as Aubrey, but her ego was almost as big. "You're lucky to get $140,000."

"$200,000."

"No, Aubrey." Chloe smiled. "$140,000 is as far as it'll go."

Aubrey tilted her head to the side, pursing her lips. "You have changed." Chloe shrugged. "I liked the old Chloe better."

"The $200,000 Chloe?"

Aubrey rolled her eyes, "I'll talk to my client, you talk to your corporate overlord and then we'll talk again. In the meantime, get that cleaned up, cause it's gonna leave a stain." The blonde attorney smiled before walking towards the elevator.

* * *

" _Good things come to those who wait_?"

Chloe sighed at all the signs throughout the room. James Paisley was due to go on Financial Daily News, and this was her last chance to finalise a deal before he went on. "Well, I guess $140,000."

Mr. Paisley rolled his eyes. "I don't know why we have to pay him a cent, he's a thief."

"Because we have a court date set for tomorrow if we don't settle this." Chloe pulled her sweater tighter around her shoulders. "Mr. Paisley, the merger's worth $3.7 billion. $140,000 is nothing."

"It's a lot of money."

"To me, yeah." Chloe admitted, "To you, it's what you made while you were sitting here."

"I like that sweater."

Chloe tried to suppress slapping some sense into him. "Thanks."

"Send me your cleaning bill."

Chloe shook her head. "Agree to pay $140,000 and I'll pay the cleaning bill."

"Mr. Paisley, we're ready for you."

Chloe looked at the stage hand as Mr. Paisley continued talking. "You know what I like about you, Chloe?" Chloe shrugged, willing the conversation to finish. "You don't take this stuff too seriously. You and me together on the barricades, huh? Hold off the hordes."

"$140,000?"

"Pay 'em off." He stood up. "Don't even want to think about it again."

* * *

" _Mr. James Paisley_." Mr. Paisley nodded at Donald. " _I understand there was a bit of drama at your presentation to the top pension fund managers_."

" _Oh, you mean the pie incident_."

Chloe's eyes widened as she sat next to Emily at Beale/Junk and Associates. "Wait, turn it up."

Donald looked at his notes. " _Someone from the protest infiltrated your meeting and hit you with a pie._ "

Mr. Paisley chuckled. _"Not even a very tasty pie, I might add._ "

" _And was this to protest the fact that this merger would be sending jobs overseas._ "

Mr. Paisley shrugged. " _Honestly, Donald, I don't know what it's about. I don't know what these people want. I'm standing in my boardroom, people downstairs handcuffing themselves to the receptionist's desk, honking horns, not letting us out of the building."_ He sighed, " _I felt like, uh Anne Frank, hiding from the Nazis._ "

Chloe's eyes widened. "No, no."

"Well, that's a bit extreme, isn't it?" Donald asked, looking down at his papers.

" _Not really_." Mr. Paisley continued, not willing to shut up. " _I feel this country's turned on its head. Tom Perkins may have put it inelegantly, but he wasn't that far wrong_."

"Don't say it." Chloe bashed a fist against her other hand. "Dear God, don't say it."

* * *

Aubrey and Beca were sitting among the other partners, the former of the two named sipping on coffee. "Go for it, say it."

" _The one percent is the new hunted minority in this country. Not unlike the Jews in Nazi Germany_."

"Holy shit." Beca commented. "I'm glad we don't have that guy for a client anymore."

* * *

Chloe continued banging her head on the table. "Don't call her now, she'll just know you're on the run and she'll up the price." Emily's words were barely registering in her mind.

"We have to risk it." Chloe picked her phone up. "As soon as she sees this, she's gonna want to go to court." She began to dial the number. "It doesn't change the facts. It taints the jury pool."

* * *

As if on cue, Aubrey's phone began ringing on the conference room table, "I wonder how long I should make her wait." When Beca gently nudged her in the arm, Aubrey held her hands up, picking up the call. "Hey, Chloe, we're gonna take our chances in court."

" _Your case is weak_." The redhead gritted out, looking between Emily and Jessica.

"Yeah, we both know it's not about the case anymore." Beca looked to the merger agreement pending approval, writing another point to the bottom of it. "It's about jury selection and, uh, it's gonna be over before you can say, 'Ladies and gentlemen of the jury'."

Chloe glanced at Emily. " _We'll go up to $200,000_."

"Nope, it's now $3 million."

Chloe gawked, looking at Emily and writing the figure down. When her younger shook her head, Chloe agreed, choosing to scoff. " _Then we'll see you in court._ "

"See you there."

Beca looked at her notes. "Okay, Aubrey, we've got a problem. Kael Pepper and my class action. We can only represent one of them."

Aubrey didn't look up from her coffee. "The class action was signed yesterday at 3:00, I signed Kael at 2:00. We agreed that in conflict of interest we'd go with who we signed first."

Beca rolled her eyes. "Kael Pepper only approached you because of our suit. They want this to be a conflict of interest."

Aubrey placed her mug down, rather forcefully, causing many people in the room to jump slightly. "No, they approached us because we're good lawyers, and they bring $8 million in yearly business." She adjusted her hair. "Beca, I know you're a social justice warrior, but small class actions with 3 people don't constitute a good use of time."

"Their facility polluted the groundwater, Aubrey! They poisoned those kids."

"Beca, if you represent only the innocent, you'll go quickly out of business." Aubrey stood up. "If you want to fight for the good guy, go to freaking bond court." She checked her watch, "I have to get to court."

Aubrey looked to Benji, who they'd managed to swipe from the State's office. "I need you to sit second chair." Benji raised an eyebrow. "It's bad, but I need a Jew to sit second chair, you can argue, I promise."

* * *

Judge Parks looked at the two parties, "The voir dire process is a very important one, because it enables the court and the lawyers to determine whether or not each of you would be appropriate jurors for this particular case."

Chloe looked at the table across from them. "Aubrey's right. This trial is over in voir dire." She looked at the magnetic whiteboard in front of them. "You had in your employment contract that we only need a majority to prevail, so, we just need seven. Whoever gets the first seven jurors has the upper hand in negotiations."

Emily nodded, "This isn't about going to trial. This is about getting seven jurors. It could be the difference between a $200,000 settlement and $8.5 million."

Judge Parks nodded, "let's begin."

Aubrey took her turn to question the first witness. "Ms. Economus, in your capacity as a human resources manager, do you have access to what other people make? I mean, their salary?"

The potential juror nodded. "Yes, I do."

Aubrey looked at her notes. "And does it rankle you sometimes how much more executives get paid than other employees? The CEO of your company, for example." She looked to Benji, allowing him to take over.

Emily slumped in her seat, not unnoticed by Chloe. "He's my ex-boyfriend."

Benji nodded, smiling kindly at the woman. "How much more does that person make than the average, say, claims adjuster? I mean, 500 times?"

Chloe stood up. "Your Honor, objection." Judge Parks looked to the redhead. "Your Honor, I believe Mr. Applebaum is trying to prejudice our jury against our client by using out-of-court statements. These questions being ones which Ms. Posen has fed him."

"Yes, Ms. Posen, I saw the news coverage of Mr. Paisley's comments, and I am inclined to agree."

Aubrey turned on her heel. "Your Honor, I'm merely trying to determine whether this juror can fairly judge a man who makes thousands of times what she-"

Chloe scoffed. "Oh, so you're worried about jurors being fair to our client? Okay."

Judge Parks held his hand up, silencing the courtroom. "I'm ruling that any out-of-court statements having to do with class or economic differences are irrelevant.2

Aubrey looked to the juror. "Ms. Economus, how much of a reader are you? Much of a reader?"

Ms. Economus shrugged, her reading was indifferent. "Well, I guess as much as anybody else. Though I read a lot in college."

Aubrey nodded, "Have you ever read Diary of Anne Frank?"

Chloe practically leapt from her seat. "Your Honor, objection!"

* * *

Judge Parks looked between the two parties standing in his chambers. "Ms. Posen, I warned you not to continue with the irrelevant questions."

Aubrey looked at her watch. "With irrelevant economic questions, Your Honor." As if on cue, Benji began to whisper in the blonde's ear. "You sure?" At Benji's nod, she continued. "Your Honor, we'd like to amend our suit to include claim of religious discrimination."

"On what grounds?" Chloe cut in.

"Ms. Beale, that's my job."

Aubrey opened a file, as if this were all planned way in advance. "My client, Mr. Musset, has Jewish ancestry on his father's side." She placed the family tree on Judge Park's desk. "And Mr. Paisley's insensitive remarks last night about Anne Frank and her tragic ordeal serves to illustrate the anti-Semitism."

"No, I don't believe this." Chloe snatched the family tree from Aubrey's hands. "Your Honor?"

Judge Parks sighed. "Religious discrimination is a recognized cause of action. You may think it's a facade, and I may agree with you, but that's what a trial is for." He handed the piece of paper back over to Aubrey. "Very well, Ms. Posen, you may continue after lunch."

* * *

"I'm not going to apologize." Okay, Chloe thought, now I want to strangle him.

"They're using it to get the jury they want." Chloe insisted. "Aubrey, who I know you dislike due to her brother's work, is out there winning this case because more people hate you than like you."

"Yes, but I told the truth."

Chloe scoffed, throwing her coffee cup into the bin. "That being surrounded by protestors was like Anne Frank?"

"I was being hyperbolic."

"Then apologize for that!" Chloe insisted. "The Posen family will win!"

Mr. Paisley shook his head. "No." Chloe kicked the edge of the table. "Chloe, you're trying to get me to apologize for the Nazi reference so people will think I'm apologizing for the whole thing."

"Mr. Paisley, you said that the one percent were like Jews in Germany."

"No." He leaned back in his chair. "I said Tom Perkins made a good point. You know who called me this morning? Warren Mitchell from Chumhum. Said, 'Thank you. It's about time somebody told the truth'."

Chloe sighed, "Mr. Paisley, can I have you meet someone? It'll only take a minute."

"I'm not gonna change my mind."

"Mr. Fishbein, you can come on in." Chloe smiled at the man as he walked into the room.

"Where is this putz?"

Chloe smiled sweetly at Mr. Paisley. "Mr. Paisley, I would like you to meet Mr. Fishbein."

"So, you think you have it the same as the Jews of Nazi Germany?" Mr. Fishbein rolled up his shirt sleeve. "You putz."

Chloe began backing out of the room. "I'm gonna let you two talk for a minute."

* * *

Chloe smiled as she lay on the couch with Emily. " _I just want to express my sincere regret for my unfortunate choice of words yesterday_."

Emily smiled, "Good job, how'd you do it?"

Chloe giggled to herself. "Mr. Fishbein, the Holocaust survivor."

" _Obviously, comparing myself, or anyone, to Anne Frank was extreme and ill-considered, and I want to apologize to anyone who may have been offended by my insensitivity_."

"I understand you've come on tonight after meeting with a Holocaust survivor." Steve, the other anchor said.

"Yes, and I will say that it was an enlightening experience. But he understood that these were the words of a self-educated man who was struggling for a metaphor. That's all."

Chloe nodded her approval. "Good, good."

"He also understood my frustration with the protestors."

"No." Chloe said, looking at the screen. "No!"

"You mean, the backlash against the one percent."

"Is that what I am? I always thought I was a guy just trying to make a living."

Chloe banged the laptop screen. "Stop talking!"

"And your 'frustration,' as you put it, is with those who don't?"

"Look, a man has to pull his weight." Mr. Paisley began. "This is America, and there's a reason for this being the greatest country in the world, we reward winners. This is not Italy or Greece, we do not reward the lazy."

"Oh, dear God." Chloe began, trying to find her phone beneath the pizza boxes thrown around their offices. "Someone just throw a blanket over him."

Emily looked to Chloe, concern manifesting itself in her eyes. "Do we have any Greeks or Italians on the jury?"

* * *

Across the city, Benji pulled a laptop onto his lap. "Aubrey, you may want to watch this." He watched as the blonde stirred, groaning.

"Did we really?" She rubbed her eyes before sitting up, conscious of keeping the duvet in a position where it would hide her naked form.

"You're better than Emily." Benji remarked, gleeful like a young schoolboy who'd discovered he'd maxed his spelling test. "And Paisley's on again."

" _So, what do you think of Tom Perkins' suggestion that voting rights should be tied to tax brackets?"_

" _Well, I probably shouldn't say this… but I think there's some merit to it."_

* * *

Chloe moved two magnetic pieces to Aubrey's side of their whiteboard. "Well, we just lost juror number four and juror number two - and possibly two others, our last two."

* * *

"Your Honor, we have no objections to seating Mr. Rizzardi he seems like he'd make a great juror." Aubrey sat back down in her chair, looking at her board.

Emily looked up, "Your Honor, we'd like to exercise one of our peremptory challenges."

Benji raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing's wrong with him." Emily finalised. "That's why we're exercising our peremptory challenge."

Aubrey looked down at her list of people Paisley had pissed off. "It's because he's Italian, isn't it?"

"That's enough!" Judge Parks turned to the juror. "Mr. Rizzardi, you're excused."

Chloe looked at the whiteboard. "She's still up by two jurors, unless we can disqualify one." She looked at the juror profiles. "Your Honor, may we approach again?"

Judge Parks nodded. "Faster the better."

Chloe made her way to the bench, glancing at Aubrey before continuing. "Your Honor, my apologies, but I believe that one of Ms. Posen's, I mean, one of the jurors that's already been seated may have been biased by my client's most recent comments."

"Your Honor, this is outrageous." Aubrey began, though Judge Parks just looked at her indifferently. "We've already agreed on each one of these jurors."

Chloe nodded her understanding, seeing Aubrey's point to a certain extent. "Yes, Your Honor, but if a statement has been made in the press, that would render one of them incapable of being fair and unbiased, well, it's like we all want a fair jury."

* * *

Judge Parks ran a hand over his face as Chloe asked the juror some questions. "So, Ms. Economus, you heard my client Mr. Paisley's latest comments?"

"I mean, I didn't hear them directly a girlfriend of mine mentioned something about it."

Chloe smiled. "So, as a Greek person, how did you feel about his comments about Greece as a country?"

"I'm from Skokie…"

Chloe nodded, "yes, but your heritage is Greek, isn't it?"

"Well, sure. Both sides." She paused for a moment. "You know, now that you mention it, yeah, it was very offensive."

* * *

"Ah, Chloe." Mr. Paisley looked at the redhead as she entered the room. "Do you have some Greeks and Italians for me to meet?"

Chloe dropped her bag on her desk. "You're going to issue a statement saying that you're giving a million dollars to charity, and that you do not believe voting should be tied with a person's tax bracket."

"What if I don't believe that?"

Chloe scoffed. "You think I should have less of a vote than you?"

"I don't know." Mr. Paisley began, "How much do you make?" He finished, chuckling to himself. When Chloe didn't laugh, however, he sighed. "I built a business from nothing. In '99, I lost it in the tech bust. And I built it up again from nothing."

"You're not poor now, Mr. Paisley."

"Neither are you." He countered. "I've seen your bills. You may choose to disguise it in all these earthy surroundings, but you are the one percent. Did you know my company is developing a gene that will prolong a person's life? We are. The one percent."

Chloe looked at him, utterly exasperated. "Then what are you worried about? You're winning. You have a lot of things, Mr. Paisley why do you feel so cornered?"

"Because there are more people who want than people who have." He leaned back in the seta. "Read Ayn Rand. Have you read her books?"

"They're awful!"

"Well, they weren't meant to be Moby-Dick, they were meant to make you think." Mr. Paisley returned.

"A guy bombs a building, the rich go out on strike it's a 12-year-old's view of the world." Chloe shook her head, trying to rid it of the ridiculousness which was those books. "It's like basing your philosophy on the books of John Grisham." She leaned forward. "Mr. Paisley, you've always told me that you are a bottom-line kind of guy. So here's the bottom line; we're losing jury members, and the fund managers are getting nervous. If it continues, they may not support this merger, and what's worse, you're in a media death spiral. No matter what you say, you will never get a fair interpretation." She looked at him.

"You have to put out a statement, another apology." When Mr. Paisley shook his head, Chloe raised an eyebrow. "We'll hire a PR firm, using a focus group to find the right words."

* * *

"Okay, and how many of you like option number two?" Chloe sipped her beer as the focus group finished their voting. "And we have a winner."

The leader of the PR firm they'd hired for the case walked back out to Chloe and Emily. "They liked number two. And, uh, two people suggested "backed into a corner" instead of pushed."

"No." Chloe disagreed. "'Pushed' is better. 'Backed' is too passive."

* * *

" _Anyone who knows me knows I've have a tendency to bristle when pushed into a corner._ _I end up saying things that I not only regret but truly do not believe. My comments were thoughtless, and I'm sorry if I offended anyone. More to the point and I want to be clear it's no one's fault if they are poor."_

* * *

"And you feel that was a sincere apology, Ms. Beale?"

Chloe looked into the camera as she'd been instructed to do. "Yes, I do. I believe that Mr. Paisley's feelings were summed up by the words he spoke today. Words that he has lived by his entire life. Not by the few sentences he spoke two days ago."

"Well, you're a paid flack."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "I'm his lawyer, Steve."

"Donald. I'm the other one."

Chloe swallowed, "My apologies, Donald." She looked towards the boards Emily had written up. "In my own experience, Mr. Paisley is a sincere man who spoke today from his heart."

"But let's be honest." Chloe paused as one of the men began to speak. Due to the lack of a monitor, she was unable to tell the two men apart. "The poor aren't the only ones he's disparaged. Isn't he being sued for firing someone who's gay?"

"That is not true, Don."

"Actually, this is Don." Chloe mentally cussed. "Don Keats, Steven is the black guy to my right."

* * *

"Thank you, Ms. Bouchard." Aubrey sat down in her chair. "Your Honor, we're fine with this juror."

Judge Parks smiled. "Ms. Bouchard, you are empanelled. And that, amazingly, completes our selection process. We'll take a short recess."

Chloe smiled, "Okay, she puts us over the top seven to five."

She looked up, seeing Aubrey leaning over the table. "Uh, I don't think so." Chloe followed the blonde's line of vision to a black woman in the front row giving Chloe an extremely dirty look. "Well, I'm afraid by my count, that makes us deadlocked. Six-six."

Emily ran a hand through her hair. "What do you propose, Aubrey?"

"$5 million. I think Mr. Paisley will find it cheap in the long run."

* * *

Emily ran up to Chloe as soon as the redhead got back from buying her lunch. "Hey, have you seen the news?"

Chloe groaned, her mind not ready for another Paisley scandal. "Oh, God, what now?"

Emily's grin was wide, "No, no, no, it's good." She led Chloe over to her laptop, where she raised the volume.

" _The state attorney general's office today expanded its pharmaceutical investigation to include Kael Pepper Laboratories, a multinational company that's been accused of price gouging patients in the distribution of their AIDS medication Reyacept."_

Chloe squinted at the screen. "What am I supposed to see?"

"Just watch."

The shot cut to a scene outside the company's Chicago headquarters. Chloe raised an eyebrow, which fell to its original stance at the sight of Aubrey pushing past the photographers. _"No comment, no comment."_

Chloe held out her hand for a high five. "Oh, that's good."

* * *

Aubrey folded her arms. "Very clever, but it's not gonna work."

Chloe chose to feign innocence. "What won't?"

"Juror number seven." Aubrey answered as if it were obvious. "You think because he's gay he'll hate that I represent a firm that was accused of price gouging AIDS medication, but you forget he occupied Wall Street for six straight weeks. He slept in a cardboard box on the sidewalk, and that's what he cares about." She shrugged. "He's gay, so what?"

Chloe smirked, looking at the piece of paper in her hand. "That's not the juror you should worry about, Bree." She smiled smugly. "It's juror number five, Joanne Honig. You don't remember? Her son died last year." She added a pause for dramatic affect. "AIDS. It's a tragedy."

"$2 million."

Chloe scoffed. "$500,000."

Aubrey shook her head. "$1 million and it's a drop in the bucket." She tried to straighten her posture. "And besides, none of us knows for sure what any of these jurors are gonna do anyway, do we?"

Chloe held one finger up to Mr. Paisley, who simply nodded. "It's a deal, Aubrey, but stick to it this time."

* * *

Chloe looked at the document. "Posen, Mitchell and Beale?"

Emily shook her head, "It isn't a good deal, I can get us more."

"Emily, this deal is as good as it's gonna get, no sleeping with Rose will get you to where we want. You get partnership, joint head of family law." Chloe looked through the document once again. "It's an amazing deal, we should take it."

* * *

"Who said college reunions weren't fun?" Will joked as he pinned his partner for the night down on the bed. "At least now that my younger brother isn't around to tell me to fuck off." He made quick work of her dress, quickly discarding it along with his own clothing.

* * *

Stacie swallowed at the moans of pleasure feeding through the wall and into her ears. She really didn't do herself any favours with her obsession of investigating anything sketchy. She should've just allowed this to happen, not listened in. It would've made it so much easier for her heart.

Her eyes still moved over the text from twenty minutes prior.

 _ **Aubrey Posen: I'm going down to the clinic tomorrow, thank you for your offered support though.**_

* * *

 _ **Author's Note 2: There's nothing wrong with having sex with a) an employee and b) your late best friend's brother, right?**_

 _ **Don't worry, I'll tie up loose ends at some point, just trust me.**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**Author's Note: Um... yeah... have fun...**_

 _ **DatChicAnna  
I hated having to do that chapter. I hate Paisley with a burning passion. He needs to Feel The Bern.**_

 _ **Llvr  
I've been spelling your user wrong this entire time, I'm so sorry!  
Also, it wasn't Beca. Since I like Bechloe and like bitch!Aubrey, it's easier to make Aubrey the 'slut' for once.  
Also, how often is Aubrey someone who sleeps around a lot?**_

 _ **Guest 1  
Aubrey is my legal badass, my combination of all the Good Wife characters, my baby. Awh, I love her.**_

 _ **Guest 2  
If you get here from chapter three, you'll see how much more intense shit gets.**_

 _ **Tavern Bard  
I'm on fire and I constantly sit and wait for your reviews, they make me so happy. Also, here's a wee bit of insight into the lives of Beca, Aubrey and a wee bit of Jesse in their youth, as you asked for. Stacie isn't really in this chapter as she's at home with Ben & Jerry's and her cat.**_

 _ **PLEASE REVIEW WITH YOUR THOUGHTS  
ALSO, WILL SWANSON IS BASICALLY WILL GARDNER  
**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights**_

 _13: In For A Penny  
_ _Three Weeks From The Events Of 12: The One Percent_

* * *

" _I paid you to help me with this adoption_." Chloe looked to Emily, the other named partner looking disinterested with the entire adoption case. The crying woman on the screen, Mrs. Gopnik, looked to Mr. Schmidt.

" _Would you like to take a minute_?"

Mrs. Gopnik shook her head at Mr. Schmidt. " _No, I'm fine_." She continued dabbing her eyes with a tissue. " _I told you that it was tricky because the baby was half Chippewa Indian and tribal law might apply, but you didn't care_."

" _That's why we're suing you for $6 million._ " Mr. Schmidt finished. " _Any more questions?_ "

Emily looked up from her notepad. " , who, specifically, did you hire to help you with this adoption, which firm?"

" _Posen/Mitchell, which was then Posen, Mitchell and Swanson._ "

Emily nodded, looking at the monitor. "And, in fact, wasn't it Posen/Mitchell who failed you? Not -"

" _Objection, it's already been established Ms. Beale was the lead attorney on this adoption._ "

"Uh, no, that has not been established." Chloe paused, "Who are you?"

The man sitting between Aubrey and Beca smiled charmingly, " _Will Swanson, Jesse's older brother. It's nice to see you too, Chloe._ "

Chloe and Emily exchanged a look before Ashley spoke up. "Amy Wilson was the lead attorney."

Fat Amy scoffed. " _Oh, come on, Chloe, Emily and Curly, you know very well it is unconscionable that you are blaming this on me._ " A barrage of arguments and yelling descended on the conference call, both Chicago firms trying to pass the blame to the other.

Mr. Schmidt sighed. " _One at a time when speaking._ " When he was ignored, he raised his voice. " _Excuse me, ladies and gentleman, we can't hear everybody. The teleconferencing system can't handle that much crosstalk._ " He sighed when everyone finally shut up. " _We need to move on. Any questions from Posen/Mitchell?"_

Chloe reached forward, silencing their microphone with the push of a button. She then leaned into Emily's ear, whispering, "they're not after us, they're after the deeper pockets of Posen/Mitchell."

Emily nodded in agreement. "I know, we just need to get Fat Amy talking." Chloe leaned forward, turning their microphone back on.

Aubrey twirled her pen in her fingers. " _Mrs. Gopnik, who at our firm did you deal with on a day-to-day basis with this adoption_?"

" _Chloe_." Came the sniffled reply.

" _Chloe Beale? When she worked at our firm?_ " Mrs. Gopnik nodded at Aubrey's question.

" _Was this under the direction of Amy Wilson_?"

Fat Amy threw an M&M at the camera. " _Mr. Schmidt, you'll be allowed follow-up questions afterwards_."

" _And who told you that the adoption had fallen through?_ " Aubrey continued her line of questioning, oblivious of Beca texting on her phone.

" _Chloe_."

Chloe ran a hand through her hair as Aubrey continued; they'd definitely had better depositions. " _So, Chloe was in charge of the day-to-day, but for some reason you are suing both Posen/Mitchell and Beale/Junk for $6 million?_ "

Emily folded her arms. "Is there a question there, Aubrey?"

" _Well, I thought that was a question, Emily._ " The blonde returned.

Mr. Schmidt rolled his eyes. "If you're asking whether we're suing both of your firms, the answer is yes." He looked down at his watch. "Unfortunately, we have to leave it there. I suggest we resume in three hours - when I land in Chicago."

Will adjusted his cufflinks. " _At which point I'll be able to question Ms. Beale._ "

"Can't wait." Chloe sighed.

" _Okay, we'll resume the teleconference at 1:00 p.m._ "

Fat Amy was the first to shut the monitor off, watching as Beca left the conference room. "Posen & Associates." The head of Family Law smiled as the name rolled off her tongue. "I like it."

* * *

"Are you ready for questioning?" Ashley asked, seemingly worried about Chloe's mental state.

Chloe sat down at her desk. "I'll be fine, stop worrying."

Emily shook her head. "Yeah, we should prep, that Will guy seemed a bit too eager for my taste."

* * *

"Howard Lyman." Beca looked at Stacie.

"No."

The investigator nodded. "Yes. He's the only undecided." Beca rolled her eyes. "Listen, just offer him something, he's easily persuadable." Stacie's eyes fell to the conference room, where Fat Amy, Aubrey and Will had Howard Lyman. "And I would hurry."

Inside the conference room, Aubrey was trying to persuade Howard Lyman on her proposition. "Beca is not Jesse, you know that."

"Oh, that's true." Howard chuckled.

Fat Amy slid a bowl of M&Ms towards Howard, continuing with the cause as he ate them. "Beca needed Jesse to run this firm well, they were like Yin and Yang. But now, let's face it, she's losing all sense of direction. From losing class actions to signing pro bono cases - she's losing it." Howard nodded absentmindedly. "We need a strong managing partner."

Will smiled at Howard as he leaned back in his chair. "Let Aubrey be the front woman. You'll be the Shadow behind the scenes."

"Like a puppet master?" Howard queried.

"Yes." Fat Amy said. "We need you to vote for Aubrey at the partnership meeting tomorrow. I'll propose a change in letterhead, and you second it, we have the votes."

"What do I get?" Howard inquired, polishing off the bowl of chocolate covered peanuts.

"You've been wanting an office near the bathrooms, we could do that." Aubrey promised. "And you can have the biggest one there."

* * *

Cynthia Rose walked into the Beale/Junk conference room, where Ashley was sitting, bowl of popcorn in hand. "What are you doing?"

Ashley turned around in her chair, "What am I doing?"

"Yes." Cynthia Rose finalised, looking closer at the screen. "What is that?"

"That," Ashley threw a piece of popcorn into the air, catching it in her mouth, "is Posen/Mitchell." She turned the volume up. "They're trying to bribe Howard Lyman into voting Beca out as a managing partner and voting Aubrey in as the sole named partner."

Cynthia Rose's eyes widened. "You can't be watching that."

"What? Yes, I can."

The bankruptcy lawyer walked towards Ashley. "No, you can't, turn it off."

Ashley stood up, "no, Cynthia, they left their camera on. They thought they turned it off when they turned the monitor off." She held out the bowl of popcorn. "I'm just passively watching."

"No." When Cynthia Rose moved towards the monitor, Ashley guarded it. "Funny, you don't seem passive." She leaned towards the monitor. "Your camera's on, Aubrey."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "They can't hear you, we're muted."

Cynthia Rose and Ashley both looked towards the intercom on the table. Cynthia Rose went for it first, with Ashley promptly grabbing onto the other side of it.

"Stop it." Ashley called out. "This is ridiculous, let go of it."

"No, you let go!" Cynthia Rose's voice rose to a yell.

Ashley countered with an elbow to the other lawyer's side. "You're acting childish."

"Oh, I'm acting childish?"

"Yes, you are, you're gonna break it!"

Emily walked into the room. "Hey, guys, guys. I'm trying to have a meeting here." The named partner pulled the intercom from the other two's hands. "Whatever we do, it's a partner's decision."

Ashley folded her arms, looking at Cynthia Rose. "You're not a partner."

Before they got into another squabble, Chloe burst into the conference room. "Hey, hey, hey, one second, what the hell is going on?" Emily simply motioned to the monitor, where the meeting with Howard Lyman was still going on.

" _Alright, Beca is great, but she's still struggling. We don't want her gone, we just want to… nudge her aside_." Will promised.

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "What, they left their camera on?"

Emily nodded. "Yes."

Chloe sat down in one of the chairs. "And they can't see us?"

Ashley smiled. "No, and we're trying to figure out what to do."

"We know what to do." Cynthia Rose cut in. "We have to turn it off."

Ashley motioned to the screen. "No, it's not our mistake, it's their mistake. We have to zealously represent our client."

Cynthia rose looked at the curly-haired woman. "Not by cheating."

"It's not cheating."

"It _**is**_ cheating." Chloe glanced to Emily as the other two women continued their argument. "According to the ABA-"

"It's an inadvertent disclosure." Ashley insisted. "It's like if someone accidentally sent you their courtroom strategy."

Cynthia Rose took her phone out of her pocket, "Exactly. You have to return it."

Ashley, too, took her phone out. "No, you don't. You have to zealously represent your client by using it."

Cynthia Rose only scoffed. "People think by adding 'zealously' to everything, it makes it all right." She scrolled through a web page. "' _A lawyer who receives documents not intended for them should refrain from examining the documents and notify the sending lawyer._ ' That is the equivalent of a document."

"Those are the 1992 rules." Ashley informed them. "The new rules do not say that the lawyer must refrain from using the information."

"Where are you reading that?" Cynthia Rose asked.

"Follow the link. The new rules leave it up to the lawyers."

"No," Cynthia Rose repeated for the 13th time. "The ABA says the lawyer must consult with the client."

Emily looked at the rules on her own phone. "You're the one being sued for $6 million, Chloe. So do we leave it on or turn it off?"

" _Okay, then._ " Will stood up, shaking Howard's hand. " _We're counting on you._ "

Chloe looked at the screen. "Well, they're not talking about trial strategy, they're talking about moving Beca out." She looked behind her to Emily. "It has nothing to do with us."

Cynthia Rose looked up. "So we turn it off?"

"Yes." Chloe decided.

Ashley scoffed. "Oh this is such a mistake."

Cynthia bent down to the intercom. "We can't turn their side off, we can only tell them they left it on."

Emily held her hand up. "Wait. They'll think we were listening."

Cynthia Rose raised an eyebrow. "We _**were**_ listening."

Emily looked to Chloe. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Chloe rolled her eyes and leaned forward, turning the intercom on. "Aubrey? Fat Amy? You left your camera on."

" _Think he'll stick with us_?" Will asked as Aubrey shut the door behind Howard.

Fat Amy shrugged, " _Who knows? Howard can't remember what he ate this morning._ "

Emily sighed. "Must be muted on their end."

" _Next it's Beale/Junk_." Will decided as he sat back down.

"We need to call them."

Chloe held a hand up, silencing Cynthia Rose. "Shh."

" _Then we can handle Beale/Junk next_." Fat Amy finalised. " _Posen & Associates will be the best firm in Chicago._"

Aubrey looked to the head of family law. " _Did you talk to her_?"

Fat Amy nodded. " _You mean the wife?_ " At Aubrey's nod she continued. "Y _eah, I spoke to her after the deposition._ "

Will raised an eyebrow. " _She believes you?_ "

" _Yeah_."

As Emily sat down too, Cynthia Rose looked at them. "We just agreed that we can't do this."

"Shh!" Chloe responded.

Aubrey took a sip from a bottle of water. " _And they have no idea?_ " Chloe looked at the screen, eyes trained on her ex-friends.

Fat Amy shook her head. " _No, Beale/Junk? None._ "

Will hummed to himself. " _I think she feels betrayed by them, that's what they've been saying in New York anyway._ " He looked to Fat Amy. " _You've got to make nice with her, though._ "

Ashley's eyebrows furrowed together. "Mrs. Gopnik?"

Fat Amy nodded. " _I know, she likes me._ _And we just blame it on Chloe._ "

Will nodded. " _And Beale/Junk is done. Done and gone in 48 hours._ "

Aubrey tapped one of her nails on the glass table. " _Beca's gonna want to save Chloe, you know?_ "

Will shrugged, " _Well, we'll get Chumhum, we'll take Paisley, and then we'll decide what to do with her._ "

All four viewers sat in stunned silence for a few moments, trying to decipher what was going on. "That doesn't change anything," Cynthia Rose decided. "We have to tell them it's on."

Emily swallowed. "They just said they're gonna destroy us in 48 hours, that changes everything."

* * *

"Well, we were listening, so now we have to" Chloe began, stopping at all the yelling in the conference room. "Now we have to decipher," She paused again, looking to Jessica."So now we're all overreacting." She sighed, running a hand through her hair. "What it was that they-"

Jessica whistled, catching the attention of all the partners in the conference room. "Thank you." The investigator looked towards the 4 who had witnessed the meeting. "What did they say, exactly?"

Emily shrugged. "They said they talked to Mrs. Gopnik."

"No," Chloe cut in, "they said they talked to the wife."

"I heard 'waif'." All eyes fell to Ashley.

"'Waif'?" Emily asked. "What does that even mean?"

Chloe cleared her throat. "Fat Amy said she talked to the wife after the deposition, and that Beale/Junk would collapse in 48 hours." She sighed. "And she also said that Mrs. Gopnik feels betrayed by us."

Emily took over. "Why, we don't know. But it sounds like they're lying to her." Chloe nodded. "Remember? Will said, "did she believe you?" It makes no sense."

Jessica shook her head. "She's suing both firms for $6 million. I mean, even if we settle, $3 million, it won't _**destroy**_ us."

Chloe sat down. "They said they wanted to blame me."

"For what?" Jessica asked.

Chloe sighed. "We couldn't hear the rest."

Ashley tried to come up with a plausible idea. "Posen/Mitchell made a deal with Mrs. Gopnik, and she turned on Chloe?"

Emily shook her head. "It still wouldn't destroy us."

Jessica folded her arms. "It would if Chloe couldn't practice law. If we lose Chloe, we lose Chumhum, Paisley, a lot of others." She paused, looking around the room. "They're trying to disbar her?"

Ashley's eyebrows furrowed together in thought. "Is there any other mistake in the adoption work? Something disbarrable?"

Chloe pondered on it for a moment before looking at the group. "I don't think so, but Fat Amy was involved, so anything's possible."

"Okay, so, we go through the discovery." Emily proposed. "We go through everything."

At more sound coming through the monitor, Ashley held a hand up. "Wait."

" _You know, just get it ready for 'em to come._ " Fat Amy said to two paralegals, " _there's five lawyers and a court reporter, okay? Just clear everything out._ "

The Beale/Junk partners continued watching as Fat Amy left the room, the two paralegals then beginning to make out.

* * *

" _Mom, I don't even know if I want to go into law." A sixteen year old Beca followed her mom through the winding hallways and corridors of Posen, Mitchell and Swanson, Walkman in her pocket, headphones in her ears and skateboard under her arm. "Plus, dad says your partners are assholes."_

 _Caitlin sighed, looking at her only daughter. "Your dad has very definitive ideas about life, Beca, and I'm sure you can make your own choice - I'm just giving you an option here." Beca followed her mother past the panes of glass and into her corner office, where the teenager made herself comfortable in a chair. "It's bring your child to work day, I couldn't resist."_

 _Beca wanted to scoff as she looked out of the doorway to the office opposite. It was criminal for anyone to be out of bed and at work by 8:00; especially during summer vacation. "Whose office is that?" She placed her skateboard on the floor, rolling it back and forth with her feet._

" _Tobias'." Caitlin answered. "His eldest daughter is the same age as you. He has one boy, a year younger, and his other daughter is six, whereas Jonathan has two sons. Jesse is your age, Will is a senior at your high school." Beca cast her mind to the senior every girl swooned over._

 _Beca then nodded absentmindedly, where did these other two people go to school if it wasn't with her and Will? "Any of them going into the law?"_

 _Caitlin nodded. "Aubrey is, she's set on it, so's Jesse. Will, Jonathan's eldest, wants to be an accountant." Beca watched as Caitlin left the room momentarily, looking into the conference room. "Beca, come on."_

 _The petite teenager grabbed her skateboard before following her mother, plaid shirt tied around her waist hitting the back of her knees with every step she took. She barely looked up from her battered Converse as she sat in the chair her mother was offering her, ignoring the other four people in the room besides her mother._

" _Right, we're all present." Beca looked up slightly, eyes landing on a blonde man in front of her. He was decent-looking, she'd give him that. "The first meeting of Posen, Mitchell and Swanson present and future. Beca, I'm Tobias Posen, nice to meet you. This is my eldest daughter, Aubrey."_

 _Beca looked up. "What?"_

 _Her words had no effect, however, as the brunette man to her right started talking. "I'm Jonathan Swanson, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Beca. We don't get to see you as often as we see Jesse and Aubrey."_

 _Beca looked to the girl seated beside Tobias, tilting her head to the side slightly. She wasn't wearing what many teenagers their age would, her dark hair curled to perfection whilst her emerald eyes scanned the book in front of her nervously. Beca adjusted her position in her seat, looking at the book's title: 'The United State's Constitution'. Holy shit, Beca thought, that isn't exactly a light read._

 _Her eyes then moved to Jesse, the boy sitting there with a book in front of him, too. Except his was about Illinois state law. His grin was covered in braces, with his boyish haircut causing Beca to choke back a laugh._

 _Caitlin then smiled. "This is Beca, she's more worried about social justice than courtrooms." The two weird looks Beca received from the other two teens reinforced her point - the law wasn't for her._

 _Beca began ignoring the rest of the conversation, choosing instead to listen to the world outside the conference room. She listened in as an associate walked past. "We can't take any more pro bonos, the poor fucks can get themselves out of trouble."_

 _Beca looked towards the book in front of Jesse. "Dude, can I borrow that?" When she didn't hear any protest, Beca took the book, beginning to read through it. "Pro bono cases make up 5% of annual cases, right?"_

 _Tobias nodded, "that's right."_

 _Beca shrugged. "If we're the new generation and that's set in stone and shit, it's 10%. You two can do all the fancy, prissy bullcrap, but I get the pro bonos."_

 _Aubrey and Jesse exchanged a look, the little brunette in plaid with a skateboard actually knew a bit about law._

* * *

Beca sat Howard down in her office, the petite brunette flanked by Rose. "So, Howard, what do I have to do to get your vote?"

Howard looked at Beca. "What do you have to do?" When Beca nodded, he paused. "I don't know. What can you do?"

Rose sat up. "Well, you've been wanting a different office for quite a while."

"No, I'm good."

Rose scoffed. "Aubrey offered it to you?"

"No…" Howard began, "Okay, maybe."

Beca held out a box of Milk Duds. "What do you want, Howard?"

"You know how long I've been a lawyer? 55 years." Howard smiled to himself. "In all of those 55 years, never once have I cross-examined anybody."

Bea raised an eyebrow. "You want to question a witness?" Beca looked to Rose. "Howard, how would you like to question a witness today?"

Rose's eyes widened. "Uh, I think we should-"

Beca leaned closer to the youngest Posen, the one who had been most screwed over by Tobias. The only person Beca had left on her side. "It's a deposition. Whatever he doesn't cover, we'll follow up." She looked back at the ageing man. "What do you say, Howard?"

* * *

Chloe walked over to the conference room table, sheets of paper everywhere. "Anything yet? I'm being deposed in about 30 minutes."

Emily shook her head. "Nothing yet, but they could have kept it out of discovery."

Chloe walked over to Ashley, the divorce attorney looking at her own paper. "If Fat Amy had anything to do with it, that's my bet."

Chloe sighed. "You think they're gonna sandbag me at the deposition?"

"Possibly." Ashley conceded. "Here's the other thing, Jessica and I were talking. We think you should go over there to be deposed."

"Why? So they don't turn off the teleconferencing camera?" Chloe asked.

Jessica nodded. "Not just that. Tell them you want to discuss the discovery, what documents are missing."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "They're not gonna say anything."

Ashley smirked, looking between Chloe and Jessica. "Not in your presence."

"You're kidding!" Chloe looked between the duo, mouth agape.

Jessica looked like she was far from kidding. "After you leave, we'll see what they say about missing documents. It's smart."

Chloe scoffed. "It's slimy."

Emily butted in. "They're trying to set us up. Trying to set you up. It's not slimy, it's self-defense." Chloe looked between the room of lawyers looking at her expectantly.

* * *

Chloe sat down at the conference room table of Posen/Mitchell as Will spoke. "Ms. Beale, thanks for coming to our place, it wasn't necessary."

Chloe smiled sweetly. "I didn't want any misunderstanding in the transmission." She placed her bag down on the floor, turning to Mr. Schmidt. "Mr. Schmidt, Mr. Swanson, Aubrey." Chloe looked towards the webcam, hoping her partners were watching.

Fat Amy scoffed. "I never rate, do I?"

Chloe smiled even more sweetly at the head of family law. "Fat Amy, how are you?"

The Australian smiled back, but it looked like more of a grimace. "Peachy keen. Shall we start?"

Mr. Schmidt nodded. "I have no questions for Chloe." He looked towards the opposite end of the table, "Aubrey?"

Beca poked her head in the doorway. "Sorry, Howard actually has some questions."

Will sat up in his chair. "Wait. What?"

Beca smiled as Howard sat down. "Howard is going to examine Chloe."

Fat Amy cleared her throat. "He no, he isn't."

Beca smiled. "Yes, he is. I have the utmost confidence in Howard. You don't, Amy?"

Mr. Schmidt looked between the other five attorneys. "Do you want us to step out for a second?"

Beca shook her head. "No, no, we're good. Howard?"

* * *

Emily held a hand up, the conference room still full of people. "Shut up, shut up." She leaned forward. "Lyman? Why Howard Lyman? He's an idiot."

* * *

Chloe looked to Howard as he began to talk. "Is your name Chloe Beale?"

"It is."

"And did you bribe the Indian council?" Howard asked.

Chloe raised an eyebrow, looking to the other three Posen/Mitchell attorneys still in the room. "You mean, the tribal council?"

Howard shrugged. "Well, the tribal council and the Indian council is the same thing."

Aubrey cleared her throat. "I don't believe they refer to themselves with that colloquialism, Howard."

Howard ignored the blonde, still looking at Chloe. "Would you just answer the question?"

Chloe shook her head. "I did not bribe the tribal council."

"And you expect us to believe that?" Chloe glanced at the camera. "You did everything else on the case." Howard insisted.

"Yes, but Amy Wilson behind my back attempted to bribe the tribal council, and that's why this adoption fell through." Chloe continued, looking towards the named Australian as she spoke. Was this seriously happening?

Howard took a sheet of paper from his file, looking at the redhead. "But, uh, what is this?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "A xerox of a take-out menu."

Howard quickly took the take out menu back, placing a different sheet of paper on the table. "What is this?"

Chloe looked at the top of the page. "It's a transcript. A transcript of a deposition, to be exact."

Howard turned around, looking at the court reporter. "It's not offensive to say 'Indian council'. They don't mind 'Indian'."

* * *

"What the hell?" Emily took a piece of popcorn from Ashley's bowl.

* * *

"Would you read from here, Ms. Beale?"

Chloe looked to the section of the page he was pointing at. "How do you turn this thing on? Is this the new kind of smart -"

"Yes. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Wait a minute…"

Aubrey leaned over the table, turning the page and pointing at a line of text with a perfectly manicured nail. "You mean, here."

"Question;" Chloe began. "' _On August 6, 2014, did you send Chief Joshua Proudfoot of the Chippewa nation $10,000 in cash to induce the tribe not to object to this adoption?_ ' Answer; 'I did'."

Howard smiled triumphantly. "So you did?"

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "No, I just read that. This was one of your associates being deposed."

"But what does it say next?"

Chloe looked at Howard. "You want me to keep reading?"

Howard nodded. "I demand that you keep reading."

Chloe looked at the camera. "Question; 'And at whose direction did you deliver this inducement?' Answer; 'Chloe Beale'."

"Aha!" Chloe looked to where Aubrey was sitting, the blonde rubbing her temples. "There it is in black and white. Why would the associate lie? There's no reason."

Chloe scoffed, her eyes becoming fixated on Aubrey's dark roots. "Because he wanted to be made a partner here, and you made him a partner here."

"It's not a reason."

Chloe scoffed. "Actually, it is."

* * *

"Maybe it's a smokescreen?" Jessica looked at Ashley, the former trying to talk her way into believing this was actually happening. "They're trying to lull us into a false sense of security?"

Emily shrugged. "Okay, so I'm lulled."

Beca walked into view on the shot. " _Good job, Howard._ "

Howard chuckled. " _Fun."_

Chloe stood up, waiting at the end of the table. " _Um, do you have a minute? I have a question I'd like to ask you three._ "

Aubrey stopped beside Chloe. " _What?_ "

Emily, Ashley and Jessica all leaned forward in their chairs. "Okay, here we go."

" _I would like to do it in private?_ " Chloe looked between the three attorneys.

" _Fine._ " Will shrugged. " _We can go in my office._ "

"Damn it." Ashley muttered. "Keep them there."

" _Actually, um, can we do it, uh, here?_ " Chloe asked, looking towards Will's office, Jesse's old office.

Will nodded. " _Yeah, uh, I didn't want to take Jesse's office. I just thought it would be best if clients didn't see it empty._ " He smiled. " _We can do it here._ "

" _Well, what is it?_ " Aubrey asked, keen to get out of the office for a break.

" _What documents did you leave out of the discovery?_ "

Aubrey raised an eyebrow. " _What documents? No documents._ " She looked at Chloe like she'd gone nuts. " _What are you talking about?_ "

Chloe folded her arms. " _We made copies of everything when we left Posen, Mitchell and Swanson, so if there are any additional documents, we'll be able to check._ "

Fat Amy frowned. " _Are you accusing us of..? Chloe, I don't understand. What are you saying?_ "

" _I don't want this to get confrontational. We'll look askance at any late-arriving evidence._ " Chloe then nodded before she left the room.

Ashley smiled at the sight of the three standing in the conference room. "Okay, here we go."

" _What was that about?_ " Will asked, sliding his hand around Aubrey's waist.

" _I have no idea._ " The blonde echoed. " _I just want to go for lunch._ "

Fat Amy shook her head. " _She's warning us._ "

Emily stood up, moving closer to the screen. "Can you zoom in?"

Jessica shook her head. "Not without them knowing."

"Can you record it?"

"No." The investigator repeated. "It's a live stream. Why?"

Emily sighed. "Oh, it's not what we thought. They don't have the wife that we thought."

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "It's not Mrs. Gopnik?" Emily shook her head - No.

" _Your 3:00 is here, Aubrey._ " All eyes were glued to the woman with the receptionist.

Aubrey sighed silently to herself. " _Oh, great, in my office._ "

" _I'll grab you something to eat, love._ " Will smiled as all five people left the shot.

"Who is it?" Ashley asked.

"Sheila Lampard." Emily responded, turning around to look at Ashley and Jessica. "Warren Mitchell's wife."

Ashley leaned back, placing her hands over her face. "Oh, crap."

"Yeah." Emily sat down, defeated. "They have Mrs. ChumHum, and we're screwed."

* * *

"Oh." Chloe frowned. She'd just returned from Posen/Mitchell to news that they were wrong. "So, this isn't about Mrs. Gopnik at all? This is about Mrs. Mitchell?"

Emily shrugged. "It looked like her. Last time I saw her was during their fight over their prenup." She sighed. "We lose Chumhum, that would close our doors, right? It's still 75% of our operating income."

Jessica's eyes widened. "Does she have that much sway over her husband?"

Chloe looked to Emily. "Did you try Warren Mitchell?"

Ashley nodded. "He's traveling in China."

Chloe's mouth moved from side to side. "They said, "does she believe you?" That's what they said in the teleconference?" Emily nodded. "So they're lying to her, about us."

"So we meet with her." Jessica proposed. "Ask her if she's happy."

"No. Emily, you do it." Chloe looked at her partner. "She liked you, work your magic."

* * *

Chloe looked through the glass of the conference room a mere thirty minutes later, seeing the usual suspects with their eyes on the screen, not their work. "I thought we were only watching things that had to do with us."

"This does." Ashley clarified.

" _Chloe was open to the idea at one point, but others were reluctant._ " Beca spoke as she, Rose and Benji stood in the conference room. " _What can we offer them? Guaranteed partnerships?_ "

Jessica raised an eyebrow. "They want to merge?"

Ashley sighed. "Beca does. I don't think Aubrey's scheme has anything to do with this."

" _Emily wants three years of segregated ChumHum money._ " Beca continued.

" _We can't do that._ " Rose objected.

" _I know_." Beca sighed. " _Can you talk to her, Rose, see what you can do? I know we keep asking this of you, but it's important._ "

Rose nodded, taking out her phone. " _Sure._ "

Benji looked between the other two attorneys skeptically. " _What can she do? I guess I don't understand._ "

Beca shrugged. " _Rose has a way with Emily. We've exploited this before. So, Aubrey and co. will vote against the merger, so we wait until after the managing partnership vote._ " Benji nodded in agreement. " _I go to Beale/Junk, we guarantee them an equal number of seats on the managing committees and 18 months of segregated ChumHum profit._ "

* * *

 _Beca looked up from her homework, eyes falling to Aubrey. "Your father knows you and Will are dating, right?" In the short year and a half Beca had known Aubrey, she felt she was the only one who could sense the blonde had really changed. "That you had sex on his desk."_

 _Aubrey shut her book. "Of course he doesn't know, Beca. I swear to God, if you tell him."_

 _Beca shook her head. "You ought to tell Jesse though." When Aubrey merely rolled her eyes, Beca went back to deciphering her biology homework._

 _She still didn't understand how no one else had noticed the subtle changes in Aubrey's demeanor. They were small, tiny. From the new jewelry that had appeared out of nowhere to the blonde's disappearances on a Saturday, when she was meant to be with working with Beca, reviewing depositions and sorting out paperwork. Beca had also noticed how much more often Jesse complained about having to buy condoms for Will, how much more Jesse was complaining that his parents loved his brother's secretive new girlfriend._

 _But Beca also noticed how things went down at school. Since Will was now at University at Chicago Poly Tech, more boys were hanging around with Aubrey, Aubrey went on more bathroom breaks and ate at a different table from her and Jesse._

" _You're too good for him." Beca muttered. "One day there'll be someone that makes you question your existence as a sex addict who is fucking her way through life."_

* * *

Chloe looked at Emily as she picked up the phone. "Hello."

" _Emily, uh, what are you doing?_ " Emily walked out of the conference room.

"I'm working."

" _Are we still on for 6:00 this evening?_ " Rose asked, unaware that Emily was watching her.

Emily shrugged. "Um, do you still want to be?"

" _Yeah._ " Rose answered, as if it were obvious. " _Um, don't you? You're being weird. I'll see you tonight at 6:00, okay?_ "

Emily promptly hung up, cornering Chloe as the redhead left the conference room. "We need to discuss this."

Chloe looked around. "Where?" She paused, "Can I just say this was a stupid design choice? We need someplace with walls and doors."

Emily scoffed. "Like Posen/Mitchell?"

Chloe folded her arms. "I think we should merge."

"I disagree."

Chloe looked at Emily in disbelief. "They're offering us equal spots on management committees, that's where all the decisions are made. We could be the top firm in Chicago."

"Yes. And your name will be on the letterhead - and mine won't."

Chloe scoffed. "You don't know that." Emily didn't look convinced. "So we'll insist that yours is on it, too."

Emily held her hands up, "Well, why would we do this? We said we wanted to build something from the ground up, something that we could be proud of. Why would we go back?"

Chloe's voice rose. "Because we're struggling. Because I'm tired. I don't want to just keep struggling to stay alive. I'm so done with all the bullshit Aubrey throws at us, I'm done having to fight this Gopnik suit alone, Emily." She began to shout. "I have been in work for eight months, Emily, that's all! My life has been secrets and bullshit since the day I met Tom. If you're angry at what Rose said, you take it out on her."

Chloe took a step closer to Emily. "I've got the votes, Emily. I've got the votes to get us to merge."

"So that's how it'll be?" The younger one asked. "Fight to the death?"

"No. We vote." With that, Chloe stormed off to her desk whilst Emily grabbed Ashley.

"Can you do something for me? Just me. You can't tell Chloe." Ashley nodded. "Sound out the partners. Get a head count on merging with Posen/Mitchell."

Ashley folded her arms. "No, we can't merge with them. They'll lay off half our staff."

* * *

Emily seated herself on a bench outside the Cook County Courthouse. "What's going on?"

" _The count is close._ " Ashley admitted. " _I can't believe it, but Chloe is up by two partners. If the merger were voted on today, we would lose._ "

Emily hung up at the sight of the man walking towards her. "Is this private enough for you?"

Will chuckled. "Ms. Junk. I don't believe we've met face to face?" When Emily shook her head, he frowned. "You don't like me, do you?"

Emily scoffed. "No."

"Sorry, I'm meant to be grabbing my girlfriend lunch, I've been meaning to for two hours." Will quickly tapped out a text. "What did you want to tell me?"

"Beca wants to merge with us." Emily ignored the guilt surfacing in her gut. "She'll wait until she's voted in as managing partner and then approach us about a merger."

Will raised an eyebrow. "How do you know this?"

"You don't want a merger, and I don't want a merger." Emily said. "So whatever moves you want to make, I'd make 'em now. Nice talking to you."

* * *

Jessica looked towards Chloe and Emily. "Will, Aubrey and Fay Amy are scheming again."Chloe followed Emily into the conference room, watching as the events played out in front of them.

" _They've got Howard._ " Aubrey sighed, looking down at her phone. " _He won't switch back to us._ "

Will shook his head. " _We've got another problem. I just heard that Beca is offering a merger with Beale/Junk if she gets the managing partnership. She'll give Beale/Junk all the top positions on the management committees._ "

Fat Amy scoffed. " _Oh, what the hell? How did you find out?_ "

Will snapped his fingers, trying to remember Emily. " _Oh, uh that kid on the other side. What is her name? The name partner._ " Emily swallowed, watching as people began to look at her. " _Emily, she told me._ "

"What?" Chloe looked taken aback.

Ashley stared at Emily in shock. "Is this true? Did you really go to Will, Emily?"

"Yes." Emily answered, without shame

Chloe continued to explode. "Why the hell would you do that!"

"Because a merger is a mistake." Emily answered once again, looking at Chloe dead in the eye.

"Do you know what a betrayal this is?"

Emily became blunt, like metal. "I know if we join Posen/Mitchell, it will be over."

Chloe slammed her hand down on the table. "Well, then argue that, discuss that, but you don't go to the other side. This is worse than Aubrey pushing Beca out."

"But they should know what Beca is doing." Emily responded. "Beca is operating in secret."

Chloe scoffed, "No, no, no. Don't turn this into some selfless act. You wanted to sabotage Beca's efforts."

"It will only sabotage it if she doesn't have the support."

"Oh, that is such a load of crap, Emily." Chloe responded, throwing an empty take out box at the younger woman.

Emily threw the container back. "Well, I'm sorry I don't hold up to your standards!"

"You wanted to take this offer right out of our hands!"

Cynthia Rose tried to intervene. "Let's take this outside."

"No!" Chloe exploded, slapping Emily on the cheek. "I can't believe you. It's so wrong."

"What was wrong was listening to them at all." Cynthia Rose muttered.

Chloe's voice rose to the point she was yelling. "If I did this, you would be appalled, and you would have every right to be."

"What I hate is that you are arguing for a merger that will benefit you!" Emily yelled back, ignoring the calls from the partners to calm down.

"Well, if that's what mattered to you, Emily, argue for that."

"What about the 30 paralegals? What about the other people?" Emily questioned. "Posen/Mitchell don't need them. They don't need me!"

"Oh, you know what? Go to hell, Emily." Chloe answered. "If you think so little-"

Emily threw her hands up in exasperation. "That is your answer to anything you can't deal with!"

Chloe opened a bottle of water, pouring it on Emily's head. "If you think so little of our partnership, we should quit this now!"

Emily pointed an index finger at the redhead. "You should cool down."

"No. You should take this more seriously."

* * *

Beca looked between the partners of Beale/Junk. "Thank you for giving me a moment so late at night. I have a proposal for you to consider."

Emily cleared her throat. "Beca, any merger would require a three-year window on ChumHum."

Chloe began glaring at her named partner. "Emily, we don't decide until we vote."

"Nothing's decided until we get a proposal." Emily countered. "And I'm saying that a proposal would require-"

Chloe scoffed. "You don't have the right to say jack shit Emily."

Cynthia Rose continued to play mediator for the squabbling partners. "Chloe, Emily, why don't we leave it to our guest to talk?"

"That's all I wanted." Chloe answered quickly.

"Please." Jessica insisted as she sat down. "We're here to listen."

Beca smiled her appreciation to the investigator. "I know we've talked a lot about a merger. I have my own dissenting voices at Posen/Mitchell. Many don't want to let you back in the door."

Emily smiled. "Great."

Jessica glared at Emily. "Em."

"But even if we were to make a deal tonight, my concern is that it would dissolve very quickly. A merger, I'm afraid, would make Posen/Mitchell unwieldy." Beca concluded.

"So, you've come here to propose not merging? I don't understand." Jessica frowned.

"No. I've come here to ask if you will take me." Beca finished, looking to gauge a response from the other partners.

"Holy crap." Chloe muttered.

"Me, and my $38 million a year in client billing."

* * *

"Ding dong the witch is gone." Fat Amy sung as she motioned to the monitor in the conference room. "Slimy shits have been listening all day."

Aubrey shrugged. "Oh well, that makes our lives a heck of alot easier." She turned the camera off. "This calls for celebration and a vote." She turned to the partners of Posen/Mitchell. "I call a motion to remove Beca Mitchell as named partner and employee of this firm."

Will smirked. "I second."

13 to 7.

* * *

 _ **2: There's the explosion, there's the merger, there's some back story.**_

 _ **:)**_


	14. Chapter 14

_**Author's Note: This will probably be my last update for a while due to the amount of work and French I have to learn for my GCSE.**_

 _ **Guest 22/02  
**_ Aubrey is as Alpha they come, honestly. I love her so much in this fic, she's powerful whilst still having a heart in there somewhere.

 _ **Llvr  
**_ You think last chapter was devious on Posen & Co's behalf, then you just wait. ;)

 _ **jjnovak  
**_ Tit punch her all you like! Season Five was overall my favourite season, I think, and Season 7 isn't very interesting I'm finding. :(

 _ **tacobby  
**_ Get ready to scream because this roller coaster hasn't finished yet.

 _ **Dongu  
**_ I don't know man! I really don't!

 _ **Guesst 23/02  
**_ I wanted to move away from their characters slightly with this story. I wanted Aubrey to not be prude, Stacie to not be the one sleeping around, Chloe to have some personal problems, Beca to be passionate in something besides music, and Legacy to be tougher.

 _ **Tavern Bard  
**_ Stacie's head over heels for Aubrey, do you really think she'll piss Aubrey off by leaving? I can't say the situation will be solved, honestly...

 _ **Rainbow Unicorn**_  
Here I am, continuing! You're welcome. :)

* * *

 _ **Constitutional** **Rights**_

 _14: I Walk The Line_

* * *

Chloe raised an eyebrow at the sight of her mother seated in front of her desk. She'd chosen to take a vacation, clear her head, ignore everything going on inside Chicago – but this is what she was made to come back to; her mother, a slight drunk, sitting with her freakin' Louis Vuitton bag and a porcelain smile etched into her features.

Chloe looked across to Beca, the brunette holding her hands up in response – she wasn't the one who allowed this to happen.

"Chloe, dear!" Chloe could hear the snort from Emily. "I wanted to ask you something." Chloe sighed as she sat down, ignoring Lindsay's advances. At the sight of Chloe's scowl, Lindsay scoffed. "Don't look at me like that. Aubrey had to tell me that you poached half her clients. Why can't you be like her, running a firm on your own?"

Chloe closed her eyes, thoughts running through her head. "I'm not Aubrey, mom, you don't seem to be able to understand that."

Lindsay scoffed. "Maybe that's why Tom chose _her_. Your attitude isn't great."

"Jesus Christ." Chloe opened her laptop. "What do you want, mother?"

Lindsay looked at her daughter, "Chloe. Would you want to run for state's attorney?"

The slight dropping of Chloe's jaw went unnoticed by the older redhead. "What?" Chloe spluttered, unable to comprehend the words that came tumbling from between her mother's – heavily filled – lips.

"Would you want to run for state's attorney?" Lindsay repeated.

"No."

"Why not?" Lindsay returned, seemingly unhappy with her daughter's response.

"Why not?" Chloe scoffed. "Mom, are you serious?"

Lindsay nodded. "Yes, I've been watching you for the last year, you'd be perfect. We need a woman, and people respect you. They like you—"

"I'm not a politician, mom." Chloe reiterated.

"But you have political instincts." Lindsay folded her arms. She'd run Tom's original successful campaign, as well as working with the current governor for his campaign. "And you're a brand. You're St. Chloe."

* * *

" _Look, I made a mistake."_ Emily held her phone to her ear as she walked across the parking lot to her car – Rose on the other end of the call trying to persuade the named partner to forgive her. " _Things have been a bit out of control lately, but I want to make it up, okay? Coral Bar."_

Emily scoffed. "Better hurry up because I'm not waiting. I'll see you at 10."

The brunette had barely put her phone away when she felt something pressed to her back. "Don't you dare turn around." She still held her car keys in her hand, tempted to press the unlock button. "Drop the keys, look straight ahead." Emily swallowed. "You move one inch or I will put one in the back of your head."

She was wrestled to the floor, her hands pulled behind her back, slightly prohibited by her blazer. "Hands behind your back. Don't you resist me; I'll break your arm." As soon as the handcuffs were put on, she was pulled back to her feet by the lead officer. "What do you have in your pocket? Anything gonna stick me? Anything sharp?"

Emily sighed. "No." Another officer began patting her down.

"Are you sure?"

Emily tried to restrain the scoff, but it fell automatically. "Yes."

The lead officer leaned close to her ear. "Lose the attitude."

"Just a wallet." Another yelled.

Emily sighed. "What did I do?"

"Shut up." Emily was pushed forwards. "Let's go."

* * *

Emily scowled as she sat in the back of a police car, her phone ringing in the front seat. "I was supposed to meet someone; can I just tell them I'll be late?"

Detective Johnson scoffed. "Oh, sure. I'll pull right over. Yeah, you want some ice cream?"

Emily rolled her eyes, slumping back against the seat. "Ha, ha."

* * *

"I think I'm gonna be sick." Emily tried to move away from the heavily drunk woman beside her, groaning when her arm merely pulled against the handcuffs keeping her wrist against a metal pole.

When she saw Detective Johnson, she leaned forward. "Hello? Detective? I haven't been given my call yet. I know my rights." She raised her voice when Johnson merely chuckled to himself. "I've been here six hours, and I haven't gotten my call."

Detective Johnson walked towards the attorney, who smiled in gratitude when he reached for her wrist. "Thank you." When Johnson instead took her watch from her left wrist, she scoffed. "Seriously?" Johnson shrugged, walking away again. "Look, I have a Sixth Amendment right to be informed of the charges against me. I have the right to an attorney."

Detective Johnson chuckled. "You know who has the hardest time getting arrested? Lawyers." He smiled at Emily. "You know why?"

"Because we know our rights."

Johnson shook his head. "No. You think you're at the Four Seasons. You asked for your Sixth Amendment rights, it'll come, just not right away." Emily leaned her head back against the concrete. "The kitchen's a little busy, might take a little while. In the meantime, be patient. We'll get to you."

"This is harassment."

Johnson began disappearing around a corner. "No, it's worse. It's inefficiency."

* * *

"Hey, Stacie?" Stacie turned on her heel, looking at the blonde standing in the conference room doorway. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

Stacie looked around at the derelict hallways, everyone else form the firm long gone for the evening. Fat Amy had gone for dinner with a potential client, and Will had been lying in his office with the flu until the partners voted to send him home for the day. "Sure, what's it about?"

Stacie absentmindedly walked into the room, looking at the different pictures on the conference room table. She quickly sat down at the table as Aubrey looked back over her notes. "It looks like a suicide. But the police found burns on the body which correlate with a collar."

Stacie raised an eyebrow. "A collar?"

"The suspect, our client, claims they partook in domme/sub activities in bed, and that the marks are simply from the fact the collar was new."

Stacie opened her notepad, "and you want me to find out if this is the case?" As she began writing this down, she felt breath down the back of her neck. "Bree?"

"I want you to _show_ me if this is the case."

Stacie jerked upright in her bed, groaning at the heat between her thighs. He eyes moved to the clock beside her bed: 3:00 a.m. Slinging her feet over the side of the mattress, she groaned, maybe she'd just have her shower early this morning.

* * *

Emily groaned as she came to. "I was awake."

She looked at her custody mate. "Okay?"

"You were asleep." She pointed out as if it were obvious. "And I heard what the charge was against you."

"You did? What?" Emily asked eagerly.

"Drugs."

Emily raised an eyebrow as Detective Johnson walked towards them. "Okay, on your feet. Let's go."

Emily and her custody mate followed Detective Johnson out to a police van, where the doors opened revealing other women on their way to State. Emily silently groaned at the sight of them, many of which looked dirty. "Did you guys get any breakfast?" Emily looked to the woman she was in custody with – seriously?

* * *

Emily looked at the floor on the corridor, a yellow line separating the two halves of the hallway. Inadvertently, she began walking on the line; before an officer walked up to her and grabbed her by the blazer. "What the hell did he just say?"

Emily sighed. "What?"

"What the hell did he just say about where to walk?"

Emily frowned, confused. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

The female officer was right up in her face. "You stay to the right, jackass. That side is for the people, this side is for the scum, do you understand me?"

The woman in front of her, seemingly her best friend now, whispered to her as they continued on their way. "Just do what I do."

They were led to a large cell, with lights that continued flickering on and off. "Let me see your hands."

Her custody mate was the first allowed in, hands free of metal. "It's kind of dark in there."

* * *

Chloe looked at Emily's empty desk. As Beca sat back down at her own desk, Chloe looked to her. "Where's Emily?"

Beca raised an eyebrow. "Breakfast with you, I thought." Chloe frowned, looking at the blinds of the window overlooking the parking lot. When Chloe separated the blinds, Emily's car was obviously in the parking lot.

* * *

Looking into the darkness of the cell, Emily noticed someone she'd seen around before. She made her way towards the woman. "I know you."

The small woman shook her head. "I didn't do anything. This is my space."

Emily held a hand up. "No, no, no. Wait, wait." She paused. "You're a Posen & Associates client now."

The other woman scoffed. "What? No."

Emily folded her arms. "Look, do you want to make a hundred dollars?"

* * *

"A hundred and 50 dollars' cash bond, payable on release. Let's go, let's boogie."

Aubrey sighed, looking at Stacie. "I hate this place." The blonde looked around the bond court. "Why am I even doing this?"

Stacie looked at her notebook. "Look, she's the daughter of a top client. Will couldn't make it." She began leading Aubrey to the area where clients spoke to their lawyers for thirty seconds at a time. "Here she comes. Dani Howell, mail fraud, third offense."

"Dear God. I can understand the second time. But the third time, you'd think she'd catch on." Aubrey immediately pasted a smile onto her face as David walked up to the window. "Dani, how are you? I'm Aubrey Posen, I represent your family's legal issues."

"I'm supposed to give you a message."

Aubrey closed her eyes, trying to compose herself. "I've been asked to handle your hearing."

"There's a lawyer in lockup that wants me to give you a message." Dani continued, looking at Stacie.

Aubrey sighed. "Look, only one of us can talk at a time."

"What lawyer?" Stacie cut in, looking straight at Dani.

Dani swallowed. "Um, well, wait. It starts with an E." She paused. "Uh Eleanor? Lanz." She sighed. "Uh, she's a lawyer and she's in lockup. But she works for another firm." She took another moment's pause. "Emily!"

Stacie held her phone to her ear as she left Aubrey alone. "Chloe, is there any chance Emily's been arrested?"

* * *

Emily sighed as she leaned against the glass of the window. "It's a drug arrest. That's all I know, but the last time I used drugs was the mushrooms four years ago." She sighed, looking at Chloe and Beca. "Do you have enough for bail?"

Chloe nodded. "I pooled the partners, I have $500 cash. First offense, no flight risk - it shouldn't be a problem."

"Emily Junk." The bond judge read out, Chloe immediately making her way to the front of the court.

Chloe looked to Beca, "No matter what, I talk."

Bumper positioned himself at the other podium, causing the judge to smile. "Well, I see we're enjoying a visit from a special ASA. Is this some sort of a VIP engagement?"

Bumper cleared his throat. "This is not just another routine arrest, Your Honor." Chloe looked at the plump man. "Ms. Emily Junk is accused of a Super X felony." Chloe raised an eyebrow. "It is a non-probationable offense with a minimum sentence of 15 years."

"Smack or crack?" The judge asked.

"Heroin, your honor." Bumper replied instantaneously. "Nine-hundred grams."

"Are you?" Chloe spluttered out. "You're kidding."

"And we ask that court assign bail in excess of $1.3 million." Bumper concluded.

The judge looked to Chloe, the redhead standing dumbfounded. "I imagine you'd like bail set at an amount lower than the ASA requested."

Chloe nodded. "Yes, Your Honor. Clearly, the state's attorney is overreaching."

Bumper sighed dramatically. "How I wish I were, Your Honor, but in Illinois, bail is tied with the street value of the controlled substance. Now, on or about January 3rd of this year, Ms. Emily Junk conspired to transport - and sell - $1.3 million in -"

"Your Honor," Chloe cut in. "Ms. Junk has a clean record. She has major ties in the community, and he is as far from a flight risk as it's possible to be. And she was an ASA for three months."

"Therefore, she's subject to retribution in jail." Beca concluded. "She isn't safe."

The judge nodded, looking between the two. "And yet his incentive to flee is directly tied to the harshness of the sentencing guidelines. I, therefore, will match bail to street value."

Chloe sighed. "Your Honor, I will be filing a motion to reconsider."

He nodded. "When you file, I will do just that. Bail is set at $1.3 million, to be posted at a hundred percent. We will reconvene for a preliminary hearing in two weeks' time."

Chloe instantly made her way over to Emily. "I'll gather the partners for bail. This has to be about Bishop. Were you with him on January 3rd?"

Emily shook her head. "I never heard about any drug transport."

Chloe swallowed. "They're going after your legal advice, trying to suggest you told him how to break the law."

Emily tried to keep near the window as an officer pulled her away. "You need to get to Bishop before he hears about my arrest, he might think I'll flip." Chloe nodded, leading Beca out of the courtroom.

* * *

Chloe looked at her hands free as she drove through Chicago. " _Hello, Beale/Junk & Mitchell_."

Beca smiled at Chloe, a silent insistence that she handle the call. "Jessica, I need you to get the partners together, you and Rose need to work quick. We'll be in in an hour." The sound of a pen could be heard on the other end of the line. "And could you find out how much the firm can borrow?"

Jessica hummed before answering. _"What do you mean? For maintenance? We have a $600,000 line of credit."_

Beca swallowed. "No, Emily was arrested last night… It's for her bail."

" _Oh, my God."_ Jessica murmured. _"How much is bail?"_

Chloe sighed. "I need you to keep this between us, Jessica, we need to raise 1.3 million." Her phone bleeped. "That's my call waiting."

There was movement from the other end of the line. _"$1.3 million? Are you serious?"_

Beca sighed. "Yes, Rose." She looked at Chloe as they neared Lemond Bishop's house. "There are no bail bondsmen in Illinois, so we have to do this on our own. I've got to go, just round up the partners."

At the sign of her mother's name on the line, Chloe pulled over, picking up the phone so Beca couldn't hear the conversation. _"Okay, I've slept on it, and I'd like your permission to poll on your campaign."_

Chloe scoffed. "Hello to you too, mother. This is no me running here, at all."

Lindsay chuckled. _"I know, that's why we have to poll."_

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Mom, this is not the best time. I have to go and meet—"

"You're not obligated to act on it."

"Mom, I'm hanging up." Chloe moved the phone from her ear. "No polling."

Eventually, Chloe pulled into the driveway of one of Chicago's most prolific drug lords, escaping the police more often than OJ Simpson. "Thank you for seeing me, Mr. Bishop." They were standing in his kitchen. "I'll make this fast; Emily Junk was arrested."

Lemond raised an eyebrow. "Who's he?"

Chloe swallowed. "My partner, your other lawyer."

"Oh, the kid. Right." Lemond responded, looking suspiciously at Beca.

Chloe smiled at him, hoping his fatherly side would outshine his drug overlord ones. Perhaps he wouldn't mind that much? "We wanted you to hear it from us first; they're saying that he helped transport heroin, we want you to know that we are handling this. We're putting together his bail, and I'm representing him."

"What's his bail?" Bishop asked, looking between the brunette and redhead.

Chloe swallowed, trying to tiptoe around an altercation. "Again, I want you to know that attorney-client privilege covers all his dealings with you."

Bishop tapped his glass on the counter. "Not illegal dealings."

Chloe pondered on that for a moment. "It's my considered opinion there were no illegal dealings. Also, Emily would never make a deal with the state's attorney. Ever."

Beca looked to Chloe as Bishop became silent, merely tapping his chin. "They're using him to get to me. That's why the bail amount."

"Yes." Beca conceded. "And we're handling this. Emily will not turn on you, Mr. Bishop, believe me."

* * *

Emily looked around the small room in Illinois' women's prison. "If anyone has any drugs, or anything, in any orifice, now is the time to tell me. Shoes held by the toes, pull out your insoles now." Emily looked at her heels, seriously? "Let's go, let's go. Now, bang those shoes together." Emily begrudgingly banged her shoes together. "Drop your shoes, hold your arms out. Put your palms, facing the ceiling. Do not, I repeat, do not smudge this, or you will have my full attention."

Emily sighed as a number was written on her forearm. "Emily Junk." Emily looked up as Detective Johnson made his way over to her. Emily took her Department Of Corrections branded clothing before changing and following Detective Johnson to the visitation area.

"Number five." Emily walked to the number and sat down, relieved when she saw Stacie, Jessica and Rose standing there.

"You stood me up." Rose began, causing Emily to chuckle from her place in front of the glass.

"Yes." Emily chuckled. "Between having a drink with you or spending a night in jail."

Stacie flipped open her notebook. "So the charge said: "On or about January 3rd"? What happened on January 3rd?"

Emily leaned forward. "You working this?"

Stacie promptly shut her notebook. "You want me working this? I'm not the enemy here, Em."

Emily smiled softly. "Thank you."

Stacie nodded in return. "We don't have time to gush, okay? What happened?"

"We were worried about losing clients."

Stacie noticed the guard standing on the back wall. "Emily, lean in."

Emily nodded, leaning closer to the glass and lowering her voice. "We were worried about losing clients, so I met with Bishop to see if he was happy. That was on January 3rd." Emily shrugged. "I was in his kitchen, while I was waiting before, there were three crew members."

Rose frowned. "You remember any of their names?"

Emily shook her head. "I don't think they said their names. Just… one had silver teeth. Top row. I told them nothing illegal."

Jessica raised an eyebrow. "You know the charge says you told them how to elude arrest in the next drug shipment. Is there any way that whatever you said could have been misconstrued?" Emily shook her head. "Show me your arm."

Stacie nodded, writing the number down. "C block, 8-6-9."

"That's five." Came the detective's voice.

"Any advice?" Emily asked as she stood up.

Stacie nodded. "Yeah, find a friend."

* * *

"We can't let Emily rot in prison!" Chloe looked at the conference room table. Since Beca's people had moved into their small fourth floor offices, things were a lot tighter. Rose was currently conveying her point to the rest of the partners, the youngest Posen with fight that rivalled her sister's. "Well, what about her family? I thought her parents were rich."

Beca sighed. "I called them, they're seeing what they can pull together. I mean, it's $1.3 million." She ran a hand through her hair. "A lot of money."

Jessica looked to her own notebook. "I checked with the bank, and it'll require borrowing $200,000 against the firm, and each partner needs to put aside their yearly draw."

At sounds of protests from the partners, Beca raised her voice. "Hey, guys, this is what we do. When one of us gets in trouble, we pull together. And Emily's not a flight risk, the money, it comes back to us."

Ashley scoffed. "Yes, in two years, after the case has been settled." She shook her head. "And in the meantime, we go bankrupt, and I need that draw to pay my rent."

Another bout of arguments broke out among the group. "Hey." Beca yelled. "Let's vote."

* * *

"Yeah, I was there."

Stacie looked at the man in front of her. "You were with Emily Junk? Bishop's lawyer?"

The man nodded, "Yeah."

"This was on the 3rd of January?" Stacie probed, looking at her notebook.

"Around then. That's when I was at Bishop's house."

Stacie nodded. "And this lawyer, he didn't tell you anything about how to break the law. Is that correct?"

"Yeah. Pretty much."

Stacie closed her notebook. "Will you testify to that?"

"It's for Bishop, right?"

Stacie nodded, yes. "Oh, uh, could you make a list of the people that were there? In Bishop's kitchen."

Stacie felt a hand on her arm, the leggy investigator turning around to see Lemond Bishop facing her. "You can't do that."

Stacie folded her arms. "Why? Because Emily had a private meeting with three members of your crew, and suddenly he's under arrest - someone is collaborating with the police."

"If that's true, I'll handle it." Stacie scoffed, climbing into her car. "I'm going to say this very carefully, so you understand. I don't want you to pursue this line of investigation, do you understand?"

In response, Stacie pulled away from the curb.

* * *

Lindsay looked up from her work, her pollster standing in front of her with pieces of paper. "These represent our most recent numbers on the state's attorney race. We focused on the top three candidates; in a hypothetical race between the current state's attorney, James Castro, and the late-State's Attorney's wife, Chloe Beale, Ms. Beale would win by eight points."

Lindsay's eyes widened. "Margin of error?"

"Three points."

* * *

Chloe rubbed her temples. "Your daughter could stay in prison for a year, sir. A full year, awaiting trial-" Chloe looked across to Beca. "Okay." At Beca's questioning look as she put the phone down, Chloe continued. "He can go as high as $8,000."

Beca raised an eyebrow. "I thought her dad was a lobbyist."

Chloe shrugged. "He said it's a bad time of year." She looked at the calculations in front of her. "We have a hundred from the firm, eight from the family. Emily has 200 saved. We're 975 away."

Beca shook her head, that wasn't right. "We're a million away."

"No." Rose spoke up. "I have 15,000 in savings, and my parents loaned me 10,000, I'm willing to put it towards the cause."

Beca's eyes widened at the suggestion. "Rose, - you can't."

Rose shrugged. "Well, of course I can - Emily would do the same for me. I'm currently on my parent's couch, it doesn't matter." Chloe picked her phone up, "Are you phoning Bishop?"

"Hi, Moira." Chloe began, looking at her notepad. "It's Chloe, I was wondering if you had any time today I wanted to talk about my condo… Possibly taking out a second mortgage." Beca's eyes widened. "Hey, it's only money."

"Chloe?" Chloe looked to Ashley. "Judge Karpman's office is calling, you're needed in court."

"Moira? I'm gonna have to call you back, okay? Thanks."

* * *

"Here we go again." Chloe mumbled under her breath. "Maybe you can raise the bail to 3 million this time."

Bumper chuckled. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Counselors." Chloe and Bumper both looked to the judge. "I understand that you wish to review the Emily Junk situation. Is that right, ASA Allen?"

Chloe frowned, "Actually, Your Honor, I made a motion to reduce the bail amount…"

"Yes, and your motion was denied." Chloe's eyes widened. "Mr. Allen?"

"Yes, Your Honor." Bumper continued. "Ms. Beale and Ms. Mitchell work as Emily Junk's partner, but they also represent Lemond Bishop, a drug dealer complicit in this matter."

The judge nodded to himself. "So you wish to disqualify her as his representative?"

Bumper smiled. "Yes, Your Honor."

Chloe tried to interrupt. "Your Honor, Emily Junk has chosen myself and Beca Mitchell as her lawyers and has waived all concerns about conflict of interests."

"Yes, but the court has not." The judge continued. "The prosecution's motion is granted." Chloe stood there, dumfounded. Had she really just been pushed out of a case? She turned around, looking at Beca - they knew no one else in Chicago trustworthy enough to represent Emily.

* * *

"I need you to represent Emily." The snort that came from Aubrey wasn't reassuring Chloe in the matter. "She was arrested, Aubrey, don't be a dick about it." Chloe watched as the blonde stood up, looking out of the window of her corner office. "One of Bishop's crew is claiming that she told them how to avoid detection on a drug shipment."

"How large was the shipment?" Aubrey asked, running a hand over her stomach.

Beca sighed. "One-point-three million in heroin, the same amount of money you still owe me for my bonus."

Aubrey hummed to herself. "That's not good, not at all."

Chloe leaned further forward in her chair. "Wait, it's not good for Emily, or it's not good for us?"

"Both." Came the clipped reply. "Your clients won't like that a named partner has been arrested for transporting drugs. I, on the other hand, may benefit from such a situation."

"She was arrested because she was fighting for her client." Chloe tried to defend. "She puts her life on the line for them."

Aubrey turned back around, taking Beca's plastic cup from her. "This is you guys. You're the scum of the Earth, you ruin it for the fine crystal wear." She dropped the empty cup into the bin before she picked up a fancy glass beaker from her desk. "This is me and my firm. Notice the difference? There's no reason I should help you, Chloe. You stole everything. Beca, Jesus Christ, you turned my own sister against me, making her leave for a start up - she was on the partnership track."

Will walked into the office, "I heard the words Jesus and Beca, where's Fat Amy when you need her?" He folded his arms. "If you require legal assistance, you can have it at usual rates - if you merge with Posen & Associates and lose your named status."

Chloe looked to Beca, swallowing at the potential of their firm falling into Aubrey's hands.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Author's Note: Hello, long time no see I suppose. School is crazy, I'm super tired, so I'm sorry this update is so late.**_

 _ **llvr  
The Law in Chicago is savage, it may potentially get worse.**_

 _ **Guest  
I can tell you now: Aubrey and co. had nothing to do with the arrest. If they had, I wouldn't be able to live with myself. Also, most of the characters are tougher in here than canon purely due to the nature of this universe.**_

 _ **gxo  
Emily's in jail.**_

 _ **Arieva LeFly  
I call it 'Midnight Author Syndrome'. I write these whilst watching correlating episodes of The Good Wife and since Cary got arrested in the show, I accidentally wrote he/him/his instead of her/she/hers.**_

 _ **jjnovak  
ugh, I know, damn police.**_

 _ **Guest  
I won't be writing a followup, and I'd rather you used the reviews on THAT fic rather than this one because now there's a random review with my rants from people. I just found that fic too sad, the plot didn't work. I just, ugh, I hate that fic.**_

 _ **WE'RE SO CLOSE TO  
100 REVIEWS!**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights**_

 _15: The Penny Drops_

* * *

"The 100 fans aren't the only LGBT members pissed off with the people you represent." Stacie was officially done with this. She was finished with the way people in that damned city could just turn on one another and not even bat an eyelid. Emily, Beca and Chloe obviously needed help, and the one person able to hand it to them was refusing to help because she was stubborn. "For God's sake, Bree, you aren't an attorney to dominate the world – what the hell has Swanson turned you into? Remember when you weren't sleeping around, Aubrey? I miss the girl I fell in love with."

Stacie's lips on hers felt so right. The investigator's tenderness everything she'd been lacking since she was a teenager.

* * *

Aubrey shot upright, quickly rubbing her eyes and squinting at the clock. The guilt had been eating her all day, just seeing Beca and Chloe leave so dejectedly after her blatant refusal to help them; to help the girl she'd mentored for so long. Dream Stacie's words echoed in her mind, when the hell _had_ she turned into some power hungry, sleeping around excuse for a respected attorney?

Her eyes moved to Will sleeping beside her.

Why was she still doing this?

* * *

"Jesus Christ." Chloe muttered, looking to Beca as she walked onto their floor. The first thing the redheaded attorney had noticed as she entered Beale/Junk & Mitchell was the two blondes sitting in the conference room. "Who the hell let _her_ in here?"

Beca cleared her throat and pointed to Chloe's desk, "you have bigger issues right now, I'll handle Aubrey."

Chloe's eyes quickly found her issue, and moved across to Lemond Bishop. "Mr. Bishop, hello, you should've called." She quickly sat down in her chair and threw her bag haphazardly towards the wall. "Is everything all right?"

Lemond nodded, "Yes." He sat down opposite the redhead. "I'm here to have a general conversation about my business holdings."

Chloe raised an eyebrow, "Okay… How can I help you with that?"

Lemond nodded, "Actually why don't I wait here while you deal with this gentleman at your desk?" He stood up and walked across the floor as a smaller man, one of Bishop's crew members, sat down opposite her.

"Mr. Roja, hello." Chloe smiled, curiously eying the duffle bag he was holding. "How can I help you?"

Dexter Roja nodded, "We've met before, Ms. Beale, I own a string of businesses, which includes dry cleaners and health clubs." Chloe nodded, she knew that. "I have decided to pay your partner's bail."

"You decided?" Chloe tried to cut in, but Dexter had already placed the bag on her desk.

"One-point-five million, that should cover the bail."

Chloe raised an eyebrow. "The bail is 1.3."

Dexter's eyes widened and he scurried to pull $200,000 out of the bag, "Uh Okay, 1.3 million." He smiled bashfully, "I would suggest that you take that to the bank and get a cashier's check." He quickly walked back over to the elevator when Lemond Bishop approached Chloe again.

"Just so you know, I was here to talk over my business holdings." He smiled. "I had nothing to do with Mr. Roja's business. Do we understand each other?"

Chloe nodded, "Yes."

* * *

"No, Amy, I do not need you to buy me anything." Stacie snorted as she and Aubrey made their way towards the entrance of Cook County's courthouse.

Amy was rustling papers on the other end of the line, trying to stall her way out of a meeting with Mr. Schmidt. _"Are you sure? You look like a pregnant kangaroo."_

"Jesus Christ." Stacie continued chuckling as Aubrey hung up on the Australian. Even though she didn't know what the Australian had said, it always made Stacie laugh the way it riled Aubrey up so much. "It isn't funny Stace, she's avoiding a deposition. I don't know why she chose to call me though."

Stacie couldn't help but smile at Aubrey's pout. "Y'know, for a National Law Firm Overload you're strangely adorable." She opened the door to the bond court and raised an eyebrow at the trio at the defense table. "Aren't you Emily's representation?"

"That's what I thought…"

"One-point-three million in bail." Judge Karpman looked at the cashier's check. "I should frame this."

Jessica chuckled as she stood in front of him. "Yeah, I know, I felt the same way."

"As you can see, Your Honor, as angering as the defense has found this extortionist bail, we have met it." Jennifer clasped her hands in front of herself. "Emily Junk should be released."

Stacie slid into one of the seats at the front of the gallery as Aubrey approached Chloe. "What the hell is going on?"

Chloe shrugged, "we don't want to merge."

"You can be second chair, Bree, for regular fees on associate billing." Beca smiled at the blonde. "Otherwise, my mom will take over."

"Your Honor, we object to these funds, and we—" Bumper began.

"What? You object?" Jennifer asked. Clearly, Aubrey noted, she was rusty – no one should let Bumper talk for more than a word at a time.

Bumper nodded, looking at his file. "Yeah, and we ask for a source of funds hearing."

"This is a delaying tactic, Your Honor."

"These funds are from drug sales, the very charge against the defendant." Bumper insisted. "I don't believe Ms. Mitchell to understand due to the absence form the law she's taken."

"An innocent woman is being held."

Beca swallowed at the sight of Aubrey's pointed gaze, "okay, I see your point, Aubrey."

"The defendant has been charged with conspiracy to transport drugs." Bumper re-iterated. "We would argue this money is a payoff for that action, it is derived from a drug dealer protecting his own—"

Aubrey stepped forward, beating Jennifer to saying anything. "There are so many suppositions in that argument, I don't know where to begin."

"Well, why don't we begin with a source of funds hearing?" Judge Karpman looked between the two sides.

"This whole case, Your Honor, is purely a way to get a defense attorney—"

Bumper cut Aubrey off, "Excuse me, Your Honor."

"This entire case is designed to deprive the former wife of our late State's Attorney of business because Beale/Junk & Mitchell is so effective in court." Aubrey looked sideways to Bumper. "I'd actually love to read strategy emails from Mr. Allen to his superiors. This case is ridiculous and the State's Office is lucky they aren't being sued by my client."

"Both of you, step back behind the bar." Judge Karpman inwardly groaned when Aubrey raised an eyebrow at him and Bumper looked around absentmindedly. "On the floor, the line, get behind it." Jesus did he hate having non-bond attorneys in his court. "Given the size of this bail posting, I will schedule a source of funds hearing one week from today."

"In the meantime, we ask that Ms. Junk be released." Jennifer insisted from her position just behind Aubrey.

Stacie leaned forward, close enough to Beca so that the brunette could hear. "Either you tell your mother to shut up or Aubrey will; she's shooting Emily in the foot."

"Ms. Junk will remain as our guest until we can establish that these funds did not come from the sale of drugs." Judge Karpman hit his gavel down. "Next case, Male, 22, Justin Steinberg."

Chloe immediately rushed over to where Emily was waiting behind the glass of the window. "Is it from Bishop?"

"Not specifically." Emily groaned, "we'll get you out soon."

Emily felt a guard begin to pull her away. "I don't want _her_ representing me though, Chloe. I didn't approve that."

* * *

"How are you?"

Emily shrugged as she sat down opposite Chloe and Rose, the glass separating them. "I'm good."

"Uh I tried to cancel the Sheila Mitchell meeting, but she insisted on it." Emily nodded at Rose's words.

Emily looked at the blonde, "She'll be nervous. Tell her they arrested me because—"

"You're working too hard for your clients? I did." Rose reassured her. "She still wants to talk. So I'm bringing Ashley into the meeting, I'll try and call Warren Mitchell—"

"No, no." Emily broke in, "Don't do that. This is all about his wife, she's still ChumHum's house counsel, so he's giving her the authority over the case." She tried to rack her brain for the details. "Some coders claim there was a conspiracy between ChumHum and some of the other tech firms to hold down salaries and stop poaching employees."

"Well, I ran through the files, and they don't want to go to trial."

"Correct, Chlo." Emily shrugged. "They feel betrayed by their own coders for suing them, they wanna make an example of them. So scare them off in depositions. If we don't shut this down, they will leave us."

"That's why Sheila was meeting with Aubrey." Rose echoed. "Does she know that Aubrey is pregnant?"

Emily's eyes widened, "What?"

"Does Mrs. Mitchell know that Aubrey is pregnant? She's against marriage out of wedlock." Chloe repeated.

"I didn't know she was pregnant, does her own firm know she's pregnant?"

"Emily." Chloe tried to keep the conversation on topic. "Will it matter to ChumHum if they know Aubrey is pregnant? Will and Fat Amy know, we promised to keep it a secret from everyone, including Stacie."

Emily shook her head – no. "They don't care, Warren likes Will, he liked Jesse and he loves Aubrey like a daughter." She shrugged. "And don't call her Mrs. Mitchell, she goes by her maiden name, Lampard."

"What about the deposition strategy?" Rose asked.

"I'll be out before then."

"In case you're not, Em." Rose sighed and looked at her girlfriend.

"Hands behind your back."

Emily sighed, standing and allowing the prison guard to handcuff her again. "It's too hard to go after all 38 coders. Look at my files, I focused my fire on the senior coder, Gus Pawlicky."

* * *

"Your Honor, he has spent five days in jail."

Bumper rolled his eyes, "because he's charged with conspiracy to transport heroin."

Aubrey scoffed, "No, because the ASA is trying to punish him. We have supplied the court with his bail."

"She's always been good." Jennifer mentioned casually, "remind me why you all aren't at a firm together?"

Beca cleared her throat. "It's a long and complex story."

"You may have done, Posen, but we have asked for a source-of-funds hearing." Bumper smiled smugly at Emily as she stood behind the window once again. "The burden of proof is reversed here, Your Honor, the defense must show the bail money is legitimate and does not come from drug proceeds."

Jennifer and Beca could only watch as Aubrey and Bumper continued to go at each other's throats. "And that is why I have submitted this affidavit from Dexter Roja. The bail money comes from his business."

Bumper held up a piece of paper. "Mr. Roja, who is intimately connected with Lemond Bishop, a top drug-dealer. Just allow me to question Mr. Bishop, that's all I ask."

"And what is the harm in that, Ms. Posen?" Judge Karpman asked. Before Aubrey could answer, however, he continued. "Excuse me, I need both of you to step back behind the bar."

Aubrey took one step back, "The harm is that this is a Trojan horse hearing – the ASA does not care about the source of funds. He wants to question Mr. Bishop under oath about his business." She paused, "also, I find this line extremely infuriating and ask you stop requesting we move behind it."

"The defense fears because Mr. Bishop will withdraw his funds if threatened with questioning." Bumper defended. "Also, the line infuriates me too."

"Yet, I'm reading an affidavit swearing to the fact that these funds are legally obtained. So why doesn't that suffice?" Karpman inquired.

"I believe it is a lie." Aubrey rolled her eyes once again, what was it about bond court that made all cases even more infuriating than the last? "Let me call a witness, a hostile witness, who I think will tell the truth no matter what – Chloe Beale."

* * *

"I thought I told Chloe I wanted Aubrey **_off_** my case."

Rose and Stacie both exchanged a look, the investigator taking over. "Well, we have another problem – I know what evidence they have against you."

"A wire." Rose added simply.

"That's good, isn't it?" Emily's smile was broad. "I didn't tell Bishop's crew how to break the law." The stark silence from Rose and Stacie wasn't reassuring.

"You did." Stacie answered. "I heard it, Emily. My friend at the Federal Bureau let me listen to it."

"You heard a tape of me telling Bishop's crew how to smuggle 1.3 million in heroin into the country?"

"And how to sell it without getting caught." Stacie replied, emotionless.

"Then it's a fake."

Rose sighed, "Well, we still have options. Aubrey's smashing it in bond court as we speak."

"I didn't do this!" Emily practically yelled. "And I don't know what you heard, Stacie, but I was asked questions by three crew members and I made it clear that I couldn't advise them on anything."

"But you answered their questions?" Stacie looked sympathetically at the young attorney.

"Only their hypothetical questions." Emily conceded, "Was the tape edited?"

Stacie shrugged. "Possibly, then we need the testimony of the three crew members. Only those three can contradict the wire."

"Only those two." Rose reminded the investigator. "One of them was wearing the wire."

* * *

"Thank you for meeting us here." Ashley held her hand out for Sheila to shake. "We just want you to know, Mrs. Mitchell—"

"Ms. Lampard." Rose inserted.

"Right." Ashley looked to Rose, deciding it was easier for Emily's girlfriend to answer the question.

"We just want you to know that Emily was targeted by the ASA's office because she's effective for her clients." Rose smiled at Beca's stepmother.

Sheila clicked her tongue. "That still doesn't do me much good if she's in jail."

"That's why Rose and I are handling the deposition prep." Ashley insisted, quickly scribbling a message to Rose on her notepad. _'She's worse than your sister – no offence.'_

Chloe looked at Lemond Bishop as he strolled towards her. "Mr. Bishop, hello. Do we have an appointment?"

"No." He answered simply, "I understand you're testifying today about the bail money."

Chloe nodded, she'd literally just put the phone down from her phone call with Aubrey. "Yes, Aubrey just called me."

Lemond sat down. "I want you to know something: if they make me testify, the bail money goes away. Do you understand?"

* * *

"Good afternoon, Ms. Beale." Bumper smiled at the redhead who was seated in the witness stand.

"Mr. Allen." Chloe replied.

Bumper leaned against the witness stand. "Who supplied the 1.3 million for Emily Junk's bail?"

"Dexter Roja, one of our clients."

"And a very generous businessman, by the look of things." Bumper flipped through some papers in his hand, causing Chloe to look to Aubrey in concern.

"I can't speak to that."

"You have to be pretty generous to give 1.3 million to someone that you hardly know." Bumper mentioned off-handedly.

"Objection." Aubrey stood up, looking at Bumper, "was that a question?"

Bumper cleared his throat. "Let me rephrase." He looked at Aubrey. "You have to be pretty generous to give 1. 3 million to someone that you hardly know?"

Chloe kept her hands folded in her lap, fiddling with the small charms on her bracelet. "It would be inaccurate to say that Dexter Roja hardly knows Emily."

"Hm, I see." Bumper raised an eyebrow. "How many times has Mr. Roja met Emily in person?"

Chloe tried to look at him evenly, he was going somewhere with this. "I'm not sure."

"More than three times?"

Aubrey stood up again, "Objection, Ms. Beale has stated that she is not sure."

"Yeah, I'll withdraw." Bumper took a few moments to collect his thoughts. "Is it your understanding that Mr. Roja's money came from his health club business?"

Chloe nodded. "That is correct, Mr. Allen."

"Isn't Mr. Roja a long-time associate of Lemond Bishop?"

"Objection, Your Honor." Aubrey straightened her dress out, groaning slightly at the small pain in her lower back. "Vague."

Bumper scoffed. "What is vague? Long time or associate?"

"Both." Aubrey replied. "Are you sure you passed the BAR, Allen?"

Judge Karpman cleared his throat, preventing another fight from breaking out. "No, I find them both clear. Overruled."

"Yes, Mr. Roja, at one time, worked for Mr. Bishop." Chloe conceded, this was not going well.

Bumper nodded. "In his drug empire."

"Objection." Stacie closely watched Aubrey's mannerisms, deciding on a final conclusion. "Not in evidence."

"Sustained."

"Ms. Beale." Bumper ran a hand through his hair, "When gave you this money, was Mr. Bishop present?"

Chloe nodded, "Yes, he was there, but on another matter."

When Bumper walked back to his small table, Judge Karpman looked up from his notes. "Does the ASA have any more questions?"

"Hm. Yes, I do." He took a stack of papers from the table and made his way back over to Chloe, "Ms. Beale, could you please tell me, could you please tell me what this is?"

Chloe leaned forward, looking at the document. "It appears to be a master membership roster of Mr. Roja's health clubs."

"Yes, it is, thank you." Bumper smiled fakely at her. "Quite a few members. Could you also tell me what this is, please?"

Chloe frowned ever so slightly, stopping herself in order to avoid giving anything away. "A death certificate inventory from the county medical examiner."

"Yes, it is, thank you again." Bumper placed a copy in front of Judge Karpman. "It is a list of people who have died in the last two years. Could you compare the highlighted names there with the membership roster from the health clubs?"

Aubrey stood once again, causing Stacie to see it. It was small, but it was most definitely there. "What does this have to do with our funds hearing?"

"Dexter Roja's bail money came from his business. Twenty percent of his business came from the deceased."

Aubrey quickly walked over to him, taking the paper. "All right, let me see that."

Judge Karpman took the other two sheets of paper and compared them to one another whilst Bumper continued talking. "His business is a sham, it is a cover for laundering Mr. Bishop's drug proceeds. And if I were allowed If I were allowed to question Mr. Bishop, then this would become-"

Aubrey folded her arms. "Your Honor, you have already quashed Mr. Bishop's subpoena."

"Yes, but Ms. Beale's testimony has opened that question again." Judge Karpman admitted, continuing his analysis of the two sheets.

"There's nothing new here." Aubrey insisted, fully aware that both she and Bumper had already broke the line rule. "Your Honor, this entire case is built on crap. The old's State's Attorney would never pursue a case so ridiculous."

"Well," Judge Karpman began, handing Bumper back the documents. "Unfortunately for you, Aubrey, Tom is no longer with us. And as much as I want to agree with you, I have no other choice unless you can prove with 100% certainty that these funds aren't from drugs." He sighed. "Okay, I'm gonna allow Mr. Bishop to be subpoenaed."

"Thank you, Your Honor." Bumper smiled and went back to his table.

Lemond Bishop walked out of the bond courtroom, looking at Chloe as he went. "Well, fuck." Beca cussed beneth her breath.

* * *

"Bishop withdrew the bail money."

Emily banged her head against the counter at Chloe's words. "I'm gonna spend a year in here waiting for trial." The younger woman groaned, "this is fucking great."

"I still have other options." Chloe smiled reassuringly, trying to persuade Emily that it would all be alright in the end. "I'm looking into a second mortgage, I'm meeting my landlord today."

Emily shook her head. "It's very generous, but seriously. Stop it."

"You would do the same thing." Chloe smiled.

Emily sighed, looking over at Chloe's schedule. "You have to take the deposition today."

"I'll reschedule."

Emily shook her head. "You can't. Sheila will take her business to Posen & Associates. Send Rose and Ashley into the depo and whisper in their ears every now and then for effect."

* * *

"So you're a Posen, right?" Rose looked up from her notes to see Sheila standing over her desk. "As good as Aubrey?"

* * *

"She scares me." Beca looked at Rose, trying to hold back a snort. "Beca!"

Beca chuckled as she locked the bathroom cubicle. "Rose, she's harmless. You're gonna do great, okay? Aubrey uses her words and aggression, but you use your passion. That's what differentiates you both."

* * *

Chloe leaned into Rose's ear as she motioned to the current witness. "The rest of the class action crumbles if you destroy him." She whispered quietly, a prompt for the youngest Posen to let loose the - seemingly genetically coded - hell a Posen held.

"And how long have you worked at ChumHum, Mr. Pawlicky?" Rose asked, looking at him sympathetically.

"I was fired." He answered simply, an undertone of disdain lacing his words as they fell from his lips. "But seven years total."

"Until you discovered this ChumHum price-fixing." The opposing attorney prompted.

Rose looked at the other woman pointedly. "Ms. Joy, do you mind?"

"ChumHum had a handshake deal with other social networking companies. A week later, I was fired."

Rose looked down at Emily's notepad they'd found in her desk. 'His lawyer will try and shut you down, but start in with questions about his drinking.' "You were pulled over on the afternoon of May 19?"

"Yes, l was upset." Mr. Pawlicky looked at his attorney. "That was the day I found out about the agreement, the price-fixing agreement."

Rose raised an eyebrow in a manner that screamed Aubrey, making Sheila instantly pay more attention to her. "So because of that discovery, you decided to get drunk? My sister threw me out of her law firm and I didn't get drunk." Chloe smiled at the subtle digs, Rose was certainly smart.

"I had a couple of beers at lunch and that's all."

Rose placed a piece of paper, seeming to appear from nowhere. "You received a negative performance evaluation in the previous week - your supervisor wrote that he smelled alcohol on your breath."

"That's a lie." Ignoring the witness' blatant lies, Chloe could see that Ashley was impressed with Rose, too. "That was a fluoride rinse."

Rose nodded, "and three other negative evaluations in the months prior to your being let go. Repeated lateness, failure to accomplish assigned tasks…"

"They planted those and they backdated them." He claimed.

Rose produced another document. "Did they also backdate this accusation of your sexting?"

"What? That was a prank."

Rose smiled sweetly at him. "Let's go through these sexts one at a time."

* * *

"We'll go as high as 4 million." Rose smiled.

"For Mr. Pawlicky?"

Rise scoffed. " ** _No_** , the whole class."

"I'll talk to my clients."

Chloe held her hand out for a high five as the opposition's attorney left. "Chloe, Valerie Jarrett's on line three." Chloe frowned at Jessica's words, what? "A Valerie Jarrett is on line three for you."

Chloe slid into her seat behind her desk. "Valerie Jarrett, at the White House Valerie Jarrett?"

Jessica shrugged. "She didn't say. You want me to ask?"

"No." Chloe took a deep breath and held the phone to her ear. "This is Chloe Beale."

* * *

"Yes, Chloe, it's Valerie Jarrett. How are you doing today?" Chloe managed to whisper out a, 'I'm good', her excitement taking over slightly. "Listen, I just wanted to call and tell you that I have been an admirer of yours for many years now. The way you started your own business and-" the line cut off, Valerie covering her mouth piece in order to talk to Lindsay. "What does this say? What does it say?"

"Stuck by your husband." Lindsay answered simply.

"I am not saying that." Lindsay rolled her eyes as Valerie uncovered the microphone. "And I admire the way you've set your own course."

 _"Well, thank you, Ms. Jarrett."_ Through the phone, Chloe sounded like a scared puppy. _"Have we met before, or?"_

"No, we haven't, but I heard that you were contemplating running for state's attorney." Valerie stopped as Lindsay waved her arms around. "What?"

"She'll know it's me."

"What do you want me to say?" Valerie gritted out. She loved Lindsay to pieces, but she couldn't say they always made a great pair.

"Just encouragements, encouragements."

Valerie, once again, uncovered the microphone. "And I wanted to encourage you to run. The only way women are gonna change the world - is if they step up."

* * *

As spontaneously as the call started, it ended, with Chloe looking dumbly at the phone.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Author's Note: Hello again, friends! I wrote this off the back of a really disappointing episode of The Good Wife (they bought Anna Camp back for a fucking DRONE CIVIL CASE that had nothing to do with the plot or anything, literally just for ratings).**_

 _ **Guest:  
Ah, yes, Rose is the kicker of butts and Chloe is a confused puppy. Finally, some innocence to this clusterfuck of a fanfic.**_

 _ **Arieva LeFly:  
I wrote this at 3pm GMT so hopefully I don't have Midnight Author's Syndrome again (I double checked). State's Attorney Chloe could be hot (if she actually ran, like come on Chloe jfc). This hasn't been months! As of your review it's been ten hours, so enjoy! ;)**_

 _ **Also, in this fic, Sheila is in her thirties as opposed to how she appears in PP. It's easier and fits in with this chapter well.**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights**_

 _16: Trust Issues_

* * *

"Why are you fighting Emily Junk's case? I thought we decided it wasn't worth it."

Aubrey groaned, pulling her pillow over her head. "Good morning to you too." She quite honestly was not in the mood to be having this conversation right now. Her stomach was aching, her head pounding – all she wanted to do was curl up in bed again and go to sleep with a good book. But alas, she had a law firm to run.

Will sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed as he reached out for the clothing he'd set out the previous day. "Look Bree, I just don't think this is the best idea you've had. You're an expectant mother now, and maybe you should be laying off work somewhat."

* * *

"So Emily did not advise you to break the law?" Rose looked to the bottle of water on the conference room table, finding the contents extremely interesting whilst Aubrey led the discussion with members of Lemond Bishop's crew.

"We were telling stories, that's all." Trey shrugged, "Look, all we were saying is that if people did the stuff that they saw in the movies, we'd all be in jail - Emily was saying what would be good advice for those people."

Jim nodded, running his finger over his line of silver teeth. "That's all."

"The people in the movies?" Rose inquired.

Trey popped another M&M into his mouth. "Like, if the guy in the movie did this or that, then he wouldn't get caught. We weren't talking about anything real, we're not that stupid."

Rose scribbled a note on her notepad, ' _let me handle this, she's my girlfriend._ ' "So you can all substantiate that Emily was speaking in hypotheticals only?"

"That's right." Jim smiled, "Hypotheticals only."

"Thank you." Lemond Bishop led the three men out of the conference room, leaving Aubrey, Rose and Stacie to discuss the current situation. "The one with the silver teeth, Jim Lenard, he'll make a good witness." Aubrey continued, "he's likable."

Rose hummed in agreement. "So is Trey."

Stacie folded her arms. "Trey was the one wearing the wire."

Rose raised an eyebrow in question, "Stacie. You said you didn't know who wore it."

The investigator shrugged, "I didn't, until today. His voice was the loudest on the tape – the microphone was on _him_."

Aubrey glanced out of the glass of the room, taking an internal sigh of relief when she saw Bishop and his crew beside the elevators. "Didn't you say that he's Bishop's top man?" Stacie nodded. "And we can't tell Bishop, or he'll have him killed." Rose and Stacie watched as Aubrey placed her head between her hands. "Fuck."

* * *

Beca and Chloe both slid into the chairs in front of Rose's desk, causing the youngest Posen to groan. "I can't tell you anything, you know that."

Beca sighed, "well, you can, if you consult with your client."

"Yeah? Well Emily would have a fit if she knew you were still letting Aubrey work this case. Your mother wasn't even invited Beca, it was me, Aubrey and Stacie."

Chloe perked up at Rose's words. "Stacie isn't bound by attorney-client privilege."

Beca shook her head, "she wouldn't tell."

Rose rolled her eyes, "you'll be in court, you'll find out what we know then." She grabbed a folder off her desk as Sheila Mitchell came into view. "Nonetheless, I have a deposition."

Rose seated herself opposite Linda Joy, Chloe settling in beside her. "So do we have a deal?"

Ms. Joy scoffed. "No, I think we should continue with our depositions."

Chloe's eyebrows furrowed. "Really? Who should we depose?"

Both attorneys followed Linda's finger to where it was pointing, right at Sheila. "Her."

* * *

Tobias finished his third glass of scotch, placing the crystal beaker upon his daughter's desk. "That is _**not**_ a law firm, it's a frat house."

Stacie cleared her throat. "They have some issues."

"No, no, no." Tobias looked around his old office. "Issues, issues can be solved; I'm talking about structural oddities. I mean, the inmates are running the asylum."

"Chloe's been distracted." Stacie tried to defend, with Aubrey simply putting her hand up to stop the investigator.

"By the fact that her partner's in jail." Tobias finished. "Bring them here, by all means, but don't throw this away to go over there."

"Look." Aubrey sighed. "They're rough around the edges because they're just starting up. But start-ups have their advantages, you were a start up once. I mean, wouldn't you feel stifled here? I mean, wouldn't you love an opportunity to build a firm the way _you_ want, not the way a managing committee dictates?"

Tobias shook his head. "Not if it looks like _**that**_. Aubrey, I love you, and I love your sister dearly, but you need to get her out of there before I do. That place is trouble."

Aubrey shook her head. "Forget what Beale/Junk & Mitchell looks like now; they could become Beale/Junk, Mitchell and Posen. What _**can**_ it turn into? I mean, a firm with a mission, with a real minority initiative, with women and people of color in authority." She smiled to herself. "All you're seeing are roadblocks, see an opportunity to build our future exactly how we want it to be."

Tobias shook his head. "You're winning, Aubrey, massively right now. Don't through this all away to go to a firm which could go under in two weeks."

"I see your point, dad." Aubrey opened her laptop, the email message still on the screen. "But Beca wants to come back. She's – how should I put this – 'in love with the unattainable'." Stacie almost choked.

* * *

"Poaching was and is a problem in the tech industry, yes." Sheila began. "You invest time and money in an employee, only to see them leave. But if you're asking if ChumHum had a secret agreement with other companies to hold down salaries or to clamp down on poaching? The answer is no, absolutely not."

"Okay." Linda Joy took a piece of paper from her notebook. "Can you tell me what that is, please?"

"Uh, it's a copy of an e-mail."

"From Patrick Edelstein, CEO of Sleuthway, to you." Rose and Chloe looked to each other. "Can you read it?"

Chloe cleared her throat. "May I see a copy, please?"

"Certainly." Linda slid the paper over the table to Chloe and Rose. "Here you go, Chloe. Ms. Lampard, if you wouldn't mind?"

"' _About the agreement we discussed, I'm in. Sick of losing all my best people to you. - XX. Patrick.'_ "

"I'm sorry, what does this prove? Mr. Edelstein sent her a vague e-mail." Rose inserted, looking at the email.

"Yes, but Ms. Lampard forwarded the e-mail to her director of human resources." Linda pointed to a small image on the page. "And that, Ms. Posen, is a smiley face. Signifying your client's satisfaction at having reached an agreement with Mr. Edelstein."

"Not necessarily." Chloe tried to cut in.

Linda, however, wasn't willing to let the redhead talk as she continued with her assault. "Isn't it true, Ms. Lampard, that many communications in the tech industry contain emoticons?" Sheila shook her head. "Then maybe you can explain these. Smiley faces, winkies, Bronx cheers. In every case, the emoticons illustrate your feelings about a proposed deal."

Jessica was waving to Chloe through the glass, catching the redhead's attention. "We'll have to leave it there; I'm being called away."

Linda smiled sweetly. "Oh, really? How convenient for you."

"Our life has become more interesting since Emily was arrested." Rose replied bluntly as Chloe left the conference room.

Chloe stopped when she didn't recognize the man standing beside her desk. "Who is he?"

Jessica shrugged in response, the investigator looking at her notebook. "He didn't say, so I have no idea, but he has money."

Chloe made her way over to the man, accepting his handshake. "Ms. Beale, hi, I'm Ernie Nolan, Erco Properties. We met once at a fundraiser for your husband."

Chloe smiled, "oh, yes, of course. One of my clients has an office in your building - it's a lovely space."

Ernie looked around. "Thank you, thank you." His eyes lingered on the group of partners huddling around another monitor. "And may I say that your offices are lovely also."

"Well, we are a, um work in progress." Chloe conceded. "So how can I help you today, Mr. Nolan?"

"Well, actually, maybe we can speak alone?" Ernie looked to Jessica.

Chloe smiled, "Actually, Jessica is my most valued confidant, so no."

Ernie took a check out of his suit pocket. "I've heard about your partner's troubles, Eleanor Junk."

"Emily Junk." Jessica muttered, causing Chloe to send her a slightly pointed look.

"I want to loan the funds for her bail, interest-free." Ernie smiled.

Chloe and Jessica both paused for a moment, with the silence and Ernie Nolan's smile lingering in their minds. "Why would you do that, Mr. Nolan?" Chloe asked, looking to the investigator beside her.

"I think it's disgraceful how the current state's attorney is behaving." Beca walked up to the other two Beale/Junk & Mitchell employees. "He's railroading your partner. So here's a cashier's check for 1.3 million. Take it, take it."

Beca took the check, "why?"

"I'm not a fan of the current state's attorney, ma'am." Ernie smiled. "The way he's been treating your partner, it's the same way he's been treating the hardworking businessmen of Chicago and we need a change."

Chloe shook her head. "I'm not running for state's attorney, Mr. Nolan."

"I know. But when you do announce—"

"I'm not announcing." Chloe answered bluntly, "I'm never running. Ever. I'm not a politician. But, it was very nice to meet you."

"And you." Ernie smiled. "We'll be in touch."

Chloe shook her head. "No, we won't." She took the cheque from Beca and place it in Ernie's outer pocket. "Here you go."

"I'm trying to be a friend, Ms. Beale."

"I know." Chloe motioned to Jessica and Beca. "I have plenty of friends; I don't need any more."

"Are you taking money from Roderick Realty?"

Chloe shook her head. "Have a nice day." Begrudgingly, Ernie walked over to the elevator.

Jessica raised an eyebrow. "Am I a bad person? I mean, you take the money, you take the check." Chloe sat down at her desk. "What do you care if we have to pay him back? He thinks you're running for state's attorney, but you're not. Take the check."

Beca nodded, "I see where Jess is coming from. You told him you're not running, it's not corrupt."

"But he'll expect a quid pro quo." Chloe decided, sitting down.

"So? There isn't one." Beca decided. "Unless you secretly want to run. The only reason to reject that check is if you think it'll hurt your campaign."

"There is no campaign, guys."

Jessica rolled her eyes. "I know, so: _take. The. Check_."

* * *

"Don't ever use surrogates on me, mom." Beca and Jessica watched as Chloe addressed her mother on the phone. "Valerie Jarrett. She doesn't just make it up in her mind to suggest I run – you put her up to it." Chloe was beyond irritated. She didn't want to run for State's Attorney, she didn't want to be State's Attorney because she'd have to stare at the office where everyday her husband was unloyal with her best friend. "I'm not running; I have no interest in running. There's no wrong I want corrected, there's no mountain I want to climb. So stop getting people to call me and come to me with money; I'm not changing my mind."

" _What?_ "

"I'm not changing my mind, mom." Chloe re-iterated. "And if I took that money, it's corrupt."

Lindsay looked down at her notepad in her office at the Governor's mansion. " _What money?"_

"Ernie Nolan's money." Chloe responded as if it were obvious.

" _Ernie Nolan from Erco Properties, he offered you money?"_

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Mom, seriously."

Lindsay looked to her pollster. " _I didn't talk to him, I didn't say anything_."

* * *

"Wow, that's interesting." Bumper looked over the paperwork in front of him. "I just saw Aubrey Posen's preliminary witnesses for the Emily Junk trial." Donald, the acting Deputy State's Attorney, looked over Bumper's shoulder. "They listed two of the crew members who were with Junk, not all three."

"Who was the one they left off?" Donald wondered.

Bumper scoffed. "Trey. Our C.I., the one wearing the wire." He shook his head. "How the hell did she know?"

Donald shook his head. "I have no idea."

* * *

"Patrick Edelstein, CEO of Sleuthway." Chloe and Rose exchanged a look at the sight of the young internet billionaire in Posen & Associate's conference room. Since Beale/Junk & Mitchell had managed to observe some new goings-on at Posen & Associates, Chloe had decided it was easier to ask Aubrey to hold the depositions so they didn't get caught spying – _**again**_. "And an innocent man."

"And _that's_ why your lawyer is here?" Linda asked, her gaze on Aubrey harsh.

"I'm just here to make sure Mr. Edelstein's best interests are followed." Aubrey slid a bowl of M&Ms across the table, "help yourself. After all, it would be an issue for you if security had to escort you out of _my_ firm."

Linda rolled her eyes. "Well, thank you, Mr. Edelstein, for answering my questions."

"No problem." Patrick twisted his chair back and forth. "It helps that you're suing me too." He chuckled, pausing when Linda only stared at him.

As Patrick sobered his laughter up, Linda looked at her notes. "In your capacity as CEO, did you give a presentation at the Beaver Creek tech conference last fall?"

"I did." Patrick answered simply, he did not need to drag himself into anymore shit than he was drowning in already.

"Ms. Lampard approached you afterwards, didn't she?"

Patrick sighed, looking at Sheila. "She did." Before continuing, he looked to Aubrey to decide if she was okay with him continuing – a small nod of her head insisted that he was still on track. "She said she was in agreement that costs were spiraling out of control. She suggested a deal: Sleuthway and ChumHum would agree to hold the line on salaries and agree not to poach one another's key people."

Chloe ran a hand over her face, this was already going well. Thankfully, she'd agreed with Aubrey that if there were any questions she didn't want Patrick to answer she'd tap her pen on her pad three times – a signal for Aubrey to have to go and attend to a non-existent divorce with Fat Amy. "Really? And what did you say?" Linda probed.

"Initially I agreed, but I have to be honest, I never intended to honor the agreement and I never did." Patrick swallowed, "Ms. Lampard can be challenging to deal with, so I just told her what she wanted to hear."

"But Ms. Lampard was serious about this deal, wasn't she?"

"It certainly seemed so to me." Aubrey quickly picked up on Chloe's frantic pen tapping.

"We'll have to leave it there; I need to tend to the Zander divorce." Aubrey stood up, with Patrick quickly scurrying out of the conference room.

Chloe and Rose had barely made it out of the conference room when Stacie pulled Aubrey to the side of the corridor. "We have a serious problem."

"What kind of a problem?" Chloe asked.

"Jim Lenard." Stacie held the photo out to Aubrey and looked at the redhead. "This is all under attorney privilege, you two can't be here right now, okay?" Stacie's quick wink made Chloe take three steps down the corridor.

"So, a second mortgage." Chloe murmured as she tried to listen in.

"Oh, Bishop's man." Aubrey looked to the photo of him from CCTV footage earlier that day. "The one with the silver teeth?"

"Yep." Stacie flipped through her photos. "He went to Dexter Roja's flagship health club this morning."

"And?"

"He's _**dead**_ , Aubrey." Chloe and Rose, who had been listening into the conversation both shared a look of shock as Stacie continued speaking. "Bishop, he thought Lenard was the C.I."

Stacie handed the photo of Jim Lenard's dead body over to Aubrey. "He just killed one of our two witnesses."

* * *

Chloe's phone ringing incessantly was not the sound she'd hoped to wake up to the next morning. "Hello?"

" _Yes, Ms. Beale. It's Linda Keating from The Weekly Correspondent. I just wondered if you had a quick reaction to the push poll script that was leaked this morning."_

Chloe ran a hand over her face, eyes settling on the clock. "Excuse me? It's 7 a.m."

 _"Yes, I know."_ Linda Keating didn't seem at all apologetic that she was interrupting Chloe's sleep. _"I need some quotes for our online edition: do you have any reaction to the push poll about your candidacy?"_

"My ah…" Chloe paused. "I don't have a candidacy."

" _Is that a quote?"_

"Please, leave me the hell alone."

* * *

"I know, I got the same call." Lindsay looked across to Chloe, her daughter seemingly not believing her. "It wasn't me, Chlo." When Chloe simply rolled her eyes in response, Lindsay straightened up. "Why would I leak a push poll? Have you read it?"

"Who else, mom?" Chloe asked. "Who else would poll on my candidacy?"

"Allen." Lindsay answered simply. "Right now he's a shoe-in for State's. He's worried about you." Chloe's scoff was reasonably uncharacteristic, Lindsay noted, almost as if her usually innocent daughter had been corrupted. "Have you read the polling questions? They make you look bad. 'Do you think the wife of a late State's Attorney should take advantage of her position to run for office?' This is Allen, not me."

"Mom."

"Don't you see? And I had nothing to do with Ernie Nolan offering you money – he did it on his own." Lindsay shrugged, "Yes, I got Valerie Jarrett to call you, but that was it. _This_ is just happening."

"Nothing just happens, mom."

"Yes, it does." Lindsay defended, taking a chance to look around the firm. " _This whole place_ just happened after some Skype call and a small altercation. And, as cynical as I am, I know that sometimes the world just takes over. People write letters, kids stand in front of tanks, college students vote – and even this crook, Nolan, that's a good sign." Chloe could hardly believe what was coming out of her mother's mouth. "I never trust when the good guys support you. It's when the bad guys come round, you know it's real."

"People think you're important enough to bribe, is what she's saying." Beca cleared up. "You won that poll, 74% viewed you in a positive light."

Chloe shook her head. "No. This—" she motioned between herself and her mother "—this is not happening right now; I have a deposition to attend."

* * *

Chloe looked at her notebook as she scribbled some notes down. "You don't like Sheila Lampard, do you, Mr. Edelstein?"

"Yes, I do." Patrick defended. "She's nice, what could I possibly have against her?"

"In your last deposition, you said she was difficult to handle." Chloe held out the transcript. "Right there."

"Yeah, but I meant in business." Patrick backtracked, beginning to look to Aubrey in concern.

"You don't hold a personal grudge against her?" Patrick scoffed. "You and Ms. Lampard used to date, didn't you?"

Sheila cleared her throat, "I need a moment with my lawyers." Chloe and Rose followed her into the corridor, the latter closing the door behind them. "I never gave you permission to go down this route, Ms. Beale."

"What do you think Warren Mitchell would hate more?" Rose asked, "finding out that you and Edelstein dated or losing this lawsuit?" Rose's look was enough to make Sheila backtrack on her words. "We're continuing with this line of questioning whether you like it or not, because _**Beca**_ told us to."

"We used to date, a few years ago." Patrick shrugged, looking to Sheila. "It was fun."

"Until your arch-rival, Warren Mitchell, stole her away from you?" Rose asked.

Patrick shook his head. "I wouldn't characterize it that way."

"You two were supposed to go away together to Belize, weren't you?" Patrick raised an eyebrow and looked to Sheila as Rose took some paper from her folder. "Here is an affidavit from a Beaver Creek participant who said that you referred to Sheila as a lying bitch."

"I might have been inelegant, but I thought her price-fixing scheme was ridiculous."

"So ridiculous in fact that you didn't think she would hold up her side of the bargain. You said at Beaver Creek with your top coder, 'She is always flying off the handle, saying things'." Patrick scratched his head. "So if you didn't believe that Sheila would do what she said, then there was no agreement, was there?"

Linda looked up from her own notebook. "What? What do you mean?"

"An agreement requires an offer and an acceptance to be valid." Rose explained. "If you and the other CEOs didn't believe that Sheila would follow through with her end of the deal, then there was never a valid acceptance."

"Well, I mean actually, I can't be so certain what Sheila would do or not." Patrick finalized. "But I guess I thought she was crazy, so I didn't honour it."

* * *

"Five million."

Chloe shook her head. "Four."

Linda folded her arms. "They conspired to hold the line on employees' pay, they fired anyone who objected."

"Prove it." Rose countered. "You can have four, or you can take us to court and get sued for harassment."

* * *

"He's dead?" Emily looked between Rose and Stacie in disbelief.

Stacie nodded. "Bishop's tying up loose ends. He thought his enemy was Jim, but it wasn't. Emily, we'll do our best, but the loss of this witness hurts."

"Have you talked to Bishop?"

Rose nodded. "Aubrey's over there now."

* * *

"Jim Lenard was the best witness for Emily we had, Lemond." Will folded his arms, looking his childhood friend in the eye. "The one whose testimony was most likely to be favourable to us in court."

"You're saying he wasn't the one wearing the wire?"

"I'm saying that we can't lose another witness." Will slid a bottle of water across the table. "Drugs, huh?"

"Then tell me who Emily needs." Will remained silent. "You don't want both witnesses to be unavailable, then tell me who Emily needs. Congrats on Aubrey's pregnancy by the way, hopefully she'll make it to the end."

* * *

Chloe looked at her items of business. "We have one new item of business: ChumHum has agreed to an advance on our fees."

"It was Emily's case; I move that we use it to get her out on bail." Rose proposed.

Beca nodded her agreement. "I second."

Chloe smiled, "all those in favor?"

* * *

"Junk, get up – you made bail."

* * *

Emily looked around the office. "The future's weird."

Rose immediately pulled her girlfriend into a hug. "You look thin."

Emily snorted, "yeah, thanks Posen. Diet, fresh air." She slid into her chair. "A lot of changes around here."

"Yeah." Rose smiled. "We missed you."


	17. Chapter 17

_**Author's Note: Long time no see. Honestly, part of the reason I haven't updated is because of the few responses via review I've received in the last few chapters. When you're a writer with a low self-esteem, you need all the validation you can get, unfortunately.**_

 _ **Guest  
Emily and Rose, sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G.**_

 _ **Arieva LeFly  
If I'm honest, by the type I've tapped out a chapter, I really don't have the energy to proof and just want it off my back. Hence why (Non) Fiction with WolvesWithoutTeeth is practically sound grammatically - we used time to work it out as we went along.**_

 _ **TrustInFaith  
Thank you.**_

* * *

 _ **Constitutional Rights  
**_ _17: Dear God_

* * *

"Ms. Junk, I am your pretrial service officer Joy Grubick. You've been released on bond, awaiting trial, and your release has come with certain conditions." Emily looked at the small office cubicle she was sitting in. "My job is to see to it that you live up to those conditions and to report to the court on your compliance. Do you understand?"

Emily nodded quickly. "I do."

Joy continued with the regular welcome. "In my supervisory capacity, I will regularly meet with you, your lawyer, your employer, and other collateral witnesses to ascertain your fitness for continued bond release. You are currently employed?"

"I am."

"I don't see any entry for direct supervisory employer here." Joy looked up from the paperwork Emily had filled out.

The attorney's cheeks puffed out in thought. "Yeah, I don't really have an employer. I'm a partner at my law firm-"

"I need a name."

"Um, Chloe Beale, one of my two other partners." Emily looked over her shoulder, seeing many people here meeting with their pretrial service officer.

Joy picked up a leaflet off her small desk. "You need any information on drug or alcohol treatment programs while subject to release?"

"No."

"Have you used any controlled substances since your release?"

Emily shook her head. "No."

"Have you partaken of any alcoholic beverages?" Emily paused for a moment at Joy's words, taking the chance to think back to the previous night she'd spent with Rose.

"No," Emily began, "a beer."

Joy continued writing down the details on Emily's file. "And when did you consume this _single_ beer?"

A small smile graced Emily's lips as she thought back to the night she'd been able to share with Rose. "After my release. There was a celebration with a few coworkers. This is at my apartment."

"And who were they?"

Emily swallowed. "You want to know their names?" Joy simply nodded. "Actually, it was probably just one; Rose Posen."

"Although you are not explicitly forbidden alcohol, we would advise against any triggers for abuse." Joy looked at the attorney. "How are you handling your release, Ms. Junk?"

"How am I handling it?" Emily shrugged. "Fine, I guess, I wasn't in that long."

"Any disagreements at work?"

* * *

 _Emily watched as chaos continued to ensue during her first partner meeting she was able to attend._

" _We need more space. I can't bring my clients here."_

" _We're already overextended."_

" _We can't just—"_

 _Chloe stood up, "Everyone stop!"_

* * *

Emily swallowed at the memory. "No, everything went well."

Joy nodded, looking down at her paperwork where she was still recording Emily's responses. "How's your employer handling your return?"

* * *

" _No, Emily, you listen to me." Emily turned around from her journey to the elevator. "That is the heart and soul of Posen/Mitchell._ _We took their six top department heads!" Emily looked back at the redhead blankly. "Why are you screwing this up?"_

* * *

Emily nodded, "she handled it very well."

"A condition of your bail is that you inform your clients of your current status.

Have you done so, either by letter or in person?"

"Yes, in person." Emily's mind cast back to the conversations she had to go through.

* * *

" _Two weeks ago I was arrested for transporting 1.3 million in heroin." Emily looked across the conference room table to one of their larger corporate clients. "Obviously, I didn't do it."_

 _Chloe smiled at the man seated across from them, his suit crisp. "_ _We think that the state's attorney brought these charges because Emily is such an effective advocate."_

 _Emily nodded her agreement, ignoring the slight nagging in her stomach at the sight of the crosses on her notebook. "I still plan to be involved with all my cases, but we also have other attorneys who are willing to step in." Emily swallowed. "We don't want any interruption in your service. We want to keep you as a client."_

" _So," Chloe began, "what do you think, Mr._ _Pratt?"_

* * *

"And did you lose any clients after informing them of your status?"

"We lost four, you want names?" Joy nodded, making Emily lean back in her chair at the sound of the pen scratching against the paper.

* * *

 _The man opposite Emily leaned forward, his eyes kind towards the younger woman. "Emily, I had some issues in my youth." He chuckled to himself. "Stole a car, went for a joyride, crashed into some barbed wire._ _I was in jail for four months." He looked down at his hands, smiling softly to himself. "That's where I turned my life around – forgiveness isn't just a nicety to me, it's my life. So, yes, I want you to stay on my case."_

" _Thank you." Emily let out a breath she was unaware of holding in. She leaned back and let her head fall back. "Beca will be handling your case."_

 _Beca stepped into the conference room. "Good to meet you."_

 _Ed smiled at the third named partner. "Nice to meet you, too."_

 _Chloe nodded towards the petite attorney in the doorway. "Beca and I will argue in court - but purely under Emily's supervision."_

* * *

Joy scoffed at the sight of Emily looking at her watch. "Yes, I know you have to get back to court." Emily smiled bashfully. "Ms. Junk, let me give you some advice: I do this because I care. I know it doesn't sound like it, but that's just the way I talk." Emily nodded her understanding, finding the entire situation quite surreal. "You can't live life the way you used to. You can't just have a beer; you can't just associate with your old friends. You need to treat this seriously or you will end up behind bars again. You understand?"

Emily nodded, "I think I do."

* * *

"What is this, Mr. Pratt?" Emily watched from the gallery as Beca and Chloe fought the GMO Patent case. Beca was currently showing the seed off to Will on the other side of the courtroom.

"It's a seed." Ed responded, causing the judge to squint at it.

Beca nodded, placing it back on the witness stand. "A seed." She looked at it in admiration. "A seed with a genetic, protective shell?"

"Yes." Ed responded. "Our scientists call it a full metal jacket."

Beca picked it back up again, gently flicking it with her finger. "A full metal jacket."

Will stood up. "Objection." Emily looked at the man. From his perfect hair and stupid Armani suit, she could feel his entitlement all the way from the gallery. And really, she'd heard Rose complain about him enough, and she clearly knew Beca's impressions of the man, from those two colleagues alone her own opinions had been formulated. "We all heard, including his Honor."

Chloe stood up. "Again, the defense attorney is abusing his objections." Emily looked from Chloe and Beca to Will. Their law firm was most definitely different from Posen & Associates.

"You're objecting to my objections?" Will asked, looking at Chloe.

"You know what you're doing." Chloe accused. "You're trying to throw Beca off—"

Judge Marx groaned. "Stop it." When the arguing continued to occur, he took to banging his gavel. "Everybody stop! The objection is overruled." Will and Chloe both sat down, with Beca looking back to Judge Marx. "Carry on, Mitchell."

Beca nodded. "Thank you, Your Honor. Mr. Pratt, you're a farmer yourself, aren't you?"

"I am, my dad too." Mr. Pratt looked at Wendell, the defendant of his patent case. "Four generations. That's why I made this company, we wanted to create a seed that could genetically withstand whatever nature threw at it, I wanted to improve farming for everyone."

"Okay, so how much did it cost to develop this seed?" Beca picked the seed back up again. "This seed here?"

"Four hundred million dollars." Came the monotone reply.

"Four hundred million dollars." Beca whistled, causing Judge Marx to hurry her along. "Well, then why are you suing Mr. Keller? He's a farmer just like yourself, isn't he?"

Ed sighed. "Patent infringement. We received a tip he was brown-bagging."

"I'm sorry brown-bagging?" Beca asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "Care to explain?"

"Saving and replanting seeds from his harvest."

Beca walked over to Chloe, placing the seed in her trouser pocket and instead taking a file from Chloe's outstretched hand. "Okay, the supreme court held in J.E.M. Supply v.s Pioneer that saving patented seeds is illegal?"

From the defence table, Wendell rolled his eyes. "It's my own seed, on my own land."

Chloe stood up, "Your Honor." She motioned to the defence table.

"He's stating the obvious." Will reminded Chloe.

"He can state the obvious when you're questioning him." Chloe countered. "Or, I can state the obvious and say this case has been taken to regain margins you lost when we left."

"Ms. Mitchell has yet to even establish."

"To the defense table." Beca turned around. "Shut up Swanson."

Judge Marx banged his gavel again. "Shut up! We're taking a five-minute recess."

Emily's eyes darted over to Ed before looking at Chloe. "Chlo, watch it with Ed, I don't think he likes all the fighting."

Chloe looked at Ed. "It's just bluster."

Emily sighed. "I know that, but he doesn't."

After five minutes, Will stood up and took his turn questioning Mr. Pratt. "Mr. Pratt, do you have a monopoly on seed distribution in Kane County, Illinois?"

Ed shook his head, quietly chuckling to himself. "I don't know if I'd call it a monopoly… My seeds are popular."

Will nodded, folding his arms. "Isn't my client the only farmer in Kane who doesn't use your seeds?"

"Yes, I think that's right." Ed acknowledged.

"So… That makes him a target?" Will asked.

"Objection, Your Honor." Beca rose from her chair. "Argumentative."

"Sustained." Beca sat back down, with Judge Marx looking to Will. "Move on, Mr. Swanson."

Will picked up a piece of card from his table. "Thank you." He held it up so the court could see it. "I have here a chart from the National Weather Service. Can you tell me what it shows?"

Ed peered at the card. "Wind speed and wind direction."

Will himself glanced at the chart. "Now, every farm surrounding Mr. Keller's land uses your seeds, so isn't it possible that these high winds blew your patented seeds onto my client's field?"

Beca stood up again. "Objection – calls for speculation." She motioned to Ed. "If Mr. Swanson wants to question a meteorologist, then bring in a meteorologist."

Judge Marx nodded. "Sustained." Emily continued watching the exchange when a hand tapped her on the shoulder. Emily quickly turned around, noticing Aubrey walking out of the courtroom. Emily quickly rose and followed the blonde, ignoring the argument continuing in the courtroom.

Emily looked at the blonde expectantly, still not overly impressed Beca and Chloe had refused to remove Aubrey from her case. "I have some good news."

Emily scoffed. "And some bad news?"

Aubrey shook her head, "No, just good news." She reached out to place her hand on Emily's shoulder, with the younger woman just shrugging her off. "You're so tense."

Emily scoffed. "It has nothing to do with my girlfriend's sister trying to obliterate us."

"The state's attorney lost its witness against you." Emily's eyes widened at Aubrey's words. "The confidential informant on Bishop's crew – the one wearing the wire. He was the cornerstone of the case." She sighed dramatically. "And they lost him."

Emily sat down on a bench in pure surprise, letting her body relax for what felt like the first time since her arrest. "How did they lose him?"

Aubrey shrugged. "I have no idea; he just went missing. But without him, the state's attorney has no case." Emily's head fell into her hands, the relief evident in her body language. "It's not over yet. The ASA is asking for a continuance at 2."

Emily chuckled. "I don't care, that's the best news I've heard in a month."

Aubrey smiled at the young partner, "I do think the judge will dismiss though, so don't lose hope."

Just as Aubrey was about to walk off, Emily broke the silence. "Did Bishop get to him? The C.I."

Aubrey shrugged. "Oh, I don't think he knew about him." She looked down at her watch momentarily, assessing the time. "Anyway, I've got to go, I'll see you at 2."

Emily smiled to herself. "Thank you, Aubrey." The blonde smiled in response and continued her journey to the exit of the courthouse. After collecting her thoughts, Emily chose to make her way back into the courtroom, only to see Beca, Chloe and Will engaged in – yet another – argument.

"You forgot the rules of questioning!" Beca yelled across the courtroom.

In response, Judge Marx banged his gavel down. "You three get so excited about winning arguments, you forget the damn point!" Beca flipped Will the bird as Judge Marx rubbed his nose. "You're lucky there's hardly anyone here, Ms. Mitchell." Beca shrugged and Emily inwardly groaned, this was not the way to act around a deeply religious client. "Carry on, Chloe."

Chloe smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Your Honor." She turned back to her witness, Mrs. Toms, who owned the seed shop in Kane County. "Mrs. Toms, is that man over there a customer at your feed and seed store?"

"Yes, ma'am." Mrs. Toms looked at Wendell. "He bought our non-GMO seeds. He wasn't anti-GMO or anything, just He said he didn't want to pay big prices."

"And did he stop buying these seeds in 2012?"

"Yeah." Mrs. Toms nodded. "He told my husband—"

Will stood up. "Objection, Your Honor." He adjusted the cuffs of his suit. "Hearsay."

Beca smirked. "804 exception, Your Honor – declarant is unavailable." She looked across at Will, smug. "Mrs. Toms' husband is deceased."

Will shook his head. "Doesn't make any difference."

When Chloe went to argue Judge Marx held up his hand. "Wait! Wait." He looked over to Mrs. Toms. "Mrs. Toms, did Mr. Keller ever discuss with you directly why he stopped buying seeds?"

She shook her head. "No."

Judge Marx nodded to himself. "Then I sustain the objection."

Chloe groaned. "This is ridiculous."

"What's ridiculous is Mrs. Beale's inability—" Emily watched as Ed and Wendell slipped out of the courtroom. "—to accept a loss."

"What's ridiculous is that you don't—" Emily quickly moved from her seat and out of the courtroom.

"Hey! Shut up!" Judge Marx's voice was then muffled by the closing courtroom door.

Both Wendell and Ed were standing down the corridor, discussing the case. "It's just better to give them a foregone conclusion."

Emily folded her arms. "What foregone conclusion?"

"Emily, this isn't working for us." Ed looked sympathetically at the young attorney. "This trial. Wendell is my neighbor – I have a disagreement with him, not with you all."

Emily tried to interject when Wendell began talking. "My wife just called an arbitrator; he can start with us immediately."

Emily sighed quietly, looking between the two men. "Well, arbitration is exactly like court. Just as binding, just as—"

Ed shook his head. "This is different."

* * *

Chloe looked at Beca and Emily from where they were sitting at a small table in a church. "Welcome to binding Christian arbitration. My name is Del Paul." Beca was avoiding the sight of the bible on the table as she formulated arguments. "Mr. Pratt and Mr. Keller have requested this forum because they believe there is a better way than the adversarial approach of blame and denial." At Beca's scoff, Emily gently elbowed her in the rib. "It's called the Matthew process. And yes, lawyers, that is a real thing. Jesus tells us, _"If your brother sins, go and point out his fault, just between the two of you._ _And if he doesn't listen, take one or two others along so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."_ So, why don't we begin? Let us pray."

All four attorneys exchanged glances as Ed, Wendell and Del all bowed their head in prayer. _"Lord, we thank you for this day, and we thank you for these professionals who just want to see justice done."_

Once the prayer had been said, Will went straight into his questioning of Ed. "Mr. Pratt, do you have a monopoly on seed distribution in Kane County, Illinois?"

Ed chuckled. "Well, I don't know if I'd call it a monopoly - my seeds are very popular."

"Isn't my client the only farmer in Kane who doesn't use your seeds?" Will asked, looking at Ed.

"I think that's right."

Will raised an eyebrow. "And that makes him a target?"

Beca scoffed. "Objection - argumentative." She looked at Will. "Come on."

Del looked at Ed. "Go ahead, you can answer."

Chloe's eyes widened. "Uh, sorry, sir, but the question was inflammatory." She furrowed her eyebrows, was Del actually qualified for this?

"No." Del looked back at Chloe. "I think he can handle it."

Emily leaned back in her chair as Ed answered Will's question. "Wendell is only a target in the sense that if people take my seed without paying, I would go out of business."

Will nodded to himself, glancing at a message on his phone. "I have here a chart from the National Weather Service." He passed Del the chart. "Can you tell me what it shows?"

"Wind speed, wind direction." Ed replied.

"Isn't it possible these high winds blew your patented seed onto my client's field?" Will asked again, causing both Chloe and Beca to roll their eyes.

"Objection." Beca pointed out. "Calls for speculation. If you want to question a meteorologist, Mr. Swanson, do so."

Will leaned forward towards Del. "Del. Um I'm feeling a little attacked here." Chloe scoffed as Beca rolled her eyes, their response to Will's tactics expected by Emily.

Del cleared his throat, trying to prevent war from breaking out. "Look, every answer will only get us closer to the truth." Beca's scoff, once again, broke the silence. "So, let's just answer honestly."

Chloe swallowed. "Okay, Your Honor, uh, Del, that is an improper question."

Del raised an eyebrow. "It seems proper to me."

"Not for a layman, or a non-meteorologist." Chloe pointed out.

"But Mr. Pratt must have an opinion," Del countered. "We all do. So, let's just hear his."

Ed shrugged. "Well, sure, it's possible."

Will smirked. "It's possible high winds blew your seed onto my client's land?" Ed nodded - sure. "Well, if that's true, isn't it possible this seed on his land is just part of God's plan?"

Chloe rolled her eyes as Emily checked her watch, she needed to be in bond court in ten minutes – shit.

* * *

"Without their confidential informant, Your Honor, the State's Attorney's office has no case." Aubrey pointed out, looking across to Bumper.

Bumper held the tape recorder between his fingers. "We have a recording of the defendant perpetrating this crime."

" _Allegedly_ perpetrating." Aubrey responded, looking straight at Judge Karpman. "And my client has a Sixth Amendment right to confront her accuser."

"Which presupposes that Trey Wagner is our only witness." Bumper chuckled to himself. "You like supposing, don't you Posen?"

Judge Karpman pulled his eyes away from the arguing pair to watch as Emily practically ran towards himself and the other two attorneys. "Ah, here's the accused now. Come join us in the lovely bond court."

His tone of voice was harsh, causing Emily to swallow as she stopped beside Aubrey. "My apologies, Your Honor. I was in court on another matter."

Emily could _feel_ the disapproving looks Aubrey was shooting her when she said, "The fact that the ASA has requested a delay in preliminary suggests that he has no evidence other than this one witness."

"Ms. Posen has been misinformed about our motion. We're not asking for a delay in preliminary." Both Emily and Aubrey's heads turned quickly so they were staring straight at Bumper as he continued. "We're asking for revocation of bail."

Emily immediately looked at Aubrey, a mix of fear and anger clouding her vision. So, this is how it ends, this is how her life ends.

"Your Honor, this is—" Aubrey glanced over her shoulder, eyes settling on Stacie before she quickly looked back to Judge Karpman. "What has Ms. Junk ever done to warrant revocation of bail?"

"The day that Ms. Junk was released from holding, the primary witness against her, Trey Wagner, disappeared."

Aubrey scoffed, "That is irrelevant."

Bumper raised an eyebrow. "How is this irrelevant? We _have_ evidence Ms. Junk intimidated the witness."

Just before Aubrey interjected, Judge Karpman held his hand up, silencing her. "What evidence?"

"A report from her pretrial services officer shows that she met with Rose Posen after her release."

Aubrey tilted her head to the side and looked at Emily. "You were, were you?"

Bumper cleared his throat. "Rose Posen then spoke to Stacie Conrad who then approached Trey Wagner."

Aubrey shook her head. "This is attack by supposition."

"We need a revocation of bail hearing." Bumper countered.

"Ms. Junk has already been through a source of funds hearing. Now county wants a revocation of bail hearing?" The disbelief falling from Aubrey's mouth in place of regular arguments weren't comforting to Emily at all. "This is this is Kafka in action."

 _Really, Aubrey?_

Karpman sighed. "The longer I live, the more I realize that everything is Kafka in action, Aubrey." He looked to Bumper. "I will hear arguments on Tuesday."

Bumper nodded. "Thank you, Your Honor." He picked up his briefcase and made his way towards the bond court's exit.

Emily sighed as Aubrey ran a hand over her forehead. "They're gonna get me one way or another, Aubrey."

* * *

 _ **If you got here, congratulations.**_

 _ **1) On WolvesWithoutTeeth's profile, we've begun writing a fake dating AU.  
2) Favourite friendship in this fanfic?  
3) Is Emily actually guilty or is she telling the truth?**_

 _ **Kafka: idiocy.**_


End file.
